ORGANIZATIONAL PROJECT MANAGEMENT MATURITY MODEL (OPM3) TO

IMPROVE MINISTRY OF CONSTRUCTION AND HOUSING (MOCAH) WITHIN

KURDISTAN REGIONAL GOVERNMENT

A Thesis

by

AZAD JABBAR MUSTAFA

Submitted to the Office of Graduate and Professional Studies of

Texas A&M University
in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of

MASTER OF SCIENCE

Chair of Committee, John Walewski

Co-Chair of Committee, Stuart Anderson
Committee Member, Julian (Ho -Yeong) Kang
Head of Department, Robin Autenrieth

May 2015

Major Subject: Civil Engineering

Copyright 2015 Azad Jabbar Mustafa

 ABSTRACT

The Organizational Project Management Maturity Model (OPM3®), a standard

developed by the Project Management Institute (PMI), has become an effective model to

help an organization successfully implement strategies and achieve its objectives

consistently, reliably, and predictably. This research studies the application of the OPM3

to assess the organizational project management capabilities of the Ministry of

Construction and Housing (MOCAH) within Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG).

The research provides a review of a project management office (PMO),

organizational project management (OPM), project management maturity (PMM), types

of maturity models, previous applications/examples of OPM3 and their findings, and

selecting the OMP3 model for the research case study (MOCAH). Furthermore, the

research provides OPM3 concepts; elements, domains, processes, components, construct,

and an application of the OPM3 assessment tool. A brief background of the Kurdistan

Region and Kurdistan Regional Government and MOCAH is provided. A Strengths,

Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats analysis was used to identify MOCAH’s current

structure and OPM performance that are not optimal to deliver projects successfully.

Therefore, the objective of the research is to apply the OPM3 model to assess the current

PMM of MOCAH and develop a roadmap for improvements.

The OPM3 assessment was conducted by an industry expert in collaboration with

MOCAH stakeholders. Different questions and several questionnaires were posed to the

stakeholders, and the results were used to assess the maturity level of MOCAH. The scope

ii
of this research is limited to the Project Management Domain and to the Standardization

level per the OPM3 methodology.

The result of the assessment showed that as scores (as percentages), Project

Management was assessed at 25 percent (of the first of four stages of project management

maturity, starting with standardization), and that the Organizational Enablers (OEs)

pertaining to the culture and environment were scored at 38 percent; and the total score

was 32 percent.

According to the results, the maturity level of MOCAH was determined to be low,

yet MOCAH is capable of seizing the opportunity to transform its project delivery

capabilities. Significant recommendations are provided regarding process improvements

(focusing on Standardization as the prerequisite for Measurement, Control, and

Continuous Improvement), as well as strategies to achieve higher maturity levels (first in

Standardization of Project Management, but also in the Program and Portfolio

Management Domains, particularly the latter).

iii
 DEDICATION

To my parents, wife, and children,

To the brave men and women Peshmerga,

To the Kurds and Kurdistan

iv
 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

I would like to thank my committee chair, Dr. Walewski, my committee co-chair,

Dr. Anderson, and my committee member, Dr. Kang, for their guidance and support

throughout the course of this research.

Thanks to my teachers Dr. Damnjanovic, Dr. Ford, Judge Grisham, and Dr.

Bigelow who have contributed greatly to broadening my knowledge and experiences

through invaluable courses and efforts in my studies. Thanks to the head of Zachry

Department of Civil Engineering, Dr. Autenrieth, and department faculty and staff,

especially Ms. Laura Byrd, for their continuous support and advice through the entire

duration of my study.

Special thanks to Mr. Darbaz K. Rasoul (the Minister, MOCAH), Mr. Agreen. A.

Aziz, (the Deputy Minister, MOCAH), Mr. Zana M. Uzeri, (DG of Technique affairs and

planning, MOCAH), and Mr. Rasheed A.B. Hamawand (Engineering Technical Advisor

MOCAH) for all their invaluable contribution to make this project a big success.

Thanks to all my friends who participated effectively as the main MOCAH’s

stakeholders; (Sanaw F. Mohammed, Khatab Q. Darwish, Shukir P. Singo, Sajid A.

Khalid, Lajan M. Mustafa, Hiwa A. Noori, Ban M. Sulaiman, Solav I. Ezzat, Houssein A.

Saleem, Yusif Q. H. Ameen, Bassam Yousif, Ayoub H. Rwandzy, Shohan Z. Tahir, and

all the employees in the IT and administration departments).

Special thanks to Mr. Nariman K. Awla for uncountable support and useful

information and to Mr. Hakeem Wlya for his coordination and support.

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 Thanks to Mr. John Schlichter from OPM Experts LLC, for his invaluable efforts

and support and his patience throughout the process of conducting the OPM3 assessment

processes, surveys, and his assistance with analyzing the results and the recommendations.

I would like to extend my gratitude to Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) for

uncountable support by which none of all my achievements would have been attained

without providing a scholarship to study at one of the high ranked universities in the US

and the world as well, such as Texas A&M University. In particular, thanks to Mr. Baravan

Hamdi (DG) and Ms. Lanja Dizayee (Consultant) at (Ministry of Martyrs and Anfal

Affairs-KRG), Dr. Govand Sherwani, and Mr. Ra’ad Abul- Kareem for their significant

role to attain my scholarship.

Last but not the least, great thanks to my great parents who always pray for me to

achieve the best. Thanks to my dear brother Serwan J. Mustafa for his countless support

and efforts throughout our staying abroad. Thanks to my wife and children for their love,

support, encouragement, and patience throughout my studies, which gave me more

enthusiasm to face all my challenges and reach the end of the journey.

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 NOMENCLATURE

ASTTMM: Automated Software Testing Maturity Model

BP: Best Practice

CMMI: Capability Maturity Model Integration

EVM3: Earned Value Management Maturity Model

IPD-CMM: Integrated Product Development Capability Maturity Model

IPMA: International Project Management Association

IPMM: Information Process Maturity Model

ITI-MM: Information Technology Infrastructure Maturity Model

KPIs: Key Performance Indicators

KRG: Kurdistan Regional Government

MOCAH: Ministry of Construction and Housing

OEs: Organizational Enablers

OPM: Organizational Project Management

OPM3: Organizational Project Management Maturity Model

OPMM: Organizational Project Management Maturity

P2MM: PRINCE2 Maturity Model

P3M3: Portfolio, Program and Project Management Maturity Model

PBO: Project Based Organization

P-CMM: People Capability Maturity Model

PEM: Project Excellence Model

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PMI: Project Management Institute

PMIS Project Management Information Systems

PMM: Project Management Maturity

PMMMs: Program Management Maturity Models

PMO: Project Management Office

PPP: Project, Program, and Portfolio

RMM: Risk Management Maturity Model

SAM: Self-Assessment Module

SE-CMM: Software Engineering Capability Maturity Model

SEI: Software Engineering Institute

SIMM: Service Integration Maturity Model

SMCI: Standardize, Measure, Control, continuously Improve

SW-CMM: Capability Maturity Model for Software

SWOT: Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats

TMM: Testing Maturity Model for Quality Assurance

TQM: Total Quality Management

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 TABLE OF CONTENTS

Page

ABSTRACT .......................................................................................................................ii

DEDICATION .................................................................................................................. iv

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ............................................................................................... v

NOMENCLATURE .........................................................................................................vii

TABLE OF CONTENTS .................................................................................................. ix

LIST OF FIGURES ..........................................................................................................xii

LIST OF TABLES ......................................................................................................... xiii

1. INTRODUCTION .......................................................................................................... 1

1.1 Research Overview ............................................................................................ 1

1.2 Research Problem Statement .............................................................................. 3
1.3 Research Questions ............................................................................................ 4
1.4 Research Objectives ........................................................................................... 4
1.5 Research Scope .................................................................................................. 5
1.6 Research Methodology....................................................................................... 5
1.7 Research Limitations/Constraints ...................................................................... 9
1.8 Research Organization ..................................................................................... 10

2. LITERATURE REVIEW ............................................................................................. 12

2.1 What is a Project? ............................................................................................. 12

2.2 What is Project Management?.......................................................................... 13
2.3 Organizational Project Management (OPM).................................................... 15
2.4 Project Management Office (PMO) ................................................................. 16
2.5 Types of Organizations .................................................................................... 19
2.6 Project-Based Organizations (PBOs) ............................................................... 21
2.7 Portfolios, Programs, and Projects ................................................................... 22
2.8 Maturity Concept and Definition ..................................................................... 23
2.9 Maturity Models ............................................................................................... 27

3. OPM3 CONCEPTS ...................................................................................................... 30

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 3.1 Introduction ...................................................................................................... 30
3.1.1 What is OPM3? ............................................................................................ 31
3.1.2 The History of OPM3 ................................................................................... 32
3.1.3 What Does OPM3 Do? ................................................................................. 35
3.1.4 OPM3 Benefits ............................................................................................. 35
3.1.5 OPM3 Purpose ............................................................................................. 36
3.2 OPM3 Previous Case Studies (Examples) ....................................................... 36
3.2.1 Example 1: The Washington Savannah River Co. (WSRC). ....................... 39
3.2.2 Example 2: Shanghai Airport Authority ...................................................... 42
3.3 OPM3 Key Elements ........................................................................................ 44
3.3.1 Knowledge.................................................................................................... 45
3.3.2 Assessment ................................................................................................... 45
3.3.3 Improvement ................................................................................................ 45
3.4 OPM3 Domains ................................................................................................ 45
3.4.1 Project Management Domain ....................................................................... 46
3.4.2 Program Management Domain .................................................................... 46
3.4.3 Portfolio Management Domain .................................................................... 46
3.5 Organizational Project Management Processes ............................................... 46
3.6 OPM3 Best Practices ........................................................................................ 47
3.6.1 Best Practice Constituent Components ........................................................ 47
3.7 OPM3 Improvement Stages (SMCI) ................................................................ 48
3.8 Organizational Enablers (OEs) Best Practices ................................................. 48
3.9 Dependencies and Interrelationships among OPM3 Components ................... 49
3.10 OPM3 Maturity Assessment Tools .................................................................. 50
3.10.1 SAM/ OPM3 Online................................................................................... 50
3.10.2 OPM3 ProductSuite Assessment Tool ....................................................... 51
3.11 OPM3 Improvement Cycle .............................................................................. 53

4. KURDISTAN REGION MINISTRY OF CONSTRUCTION AND HOUSING ....... 54

4.1 Introduction ...................................................................................................... 54

4.2 Kurdistan Region and Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) Background . 55
4.3 The Ministry of Construction and Housing (MOCAH) ................................... 57
4.3.1 Introduction .................................................................................................. 57
4.3.2 MOCAH’s Vision, Mission, and Strategic Plan........................................... 58
4.3.3 MOCAH Organizational Breakdown Structure (OBS) ................................ 61
4.3.4 MOCAH Size (Employees Number) ............................................................ 65
4.4 SWOT Analysis and MOCAH ......................................................................... 66
4.4.1 SWOT Analysis ............................................................................................ 66
4.4.2 MOCAH Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats ..................... 67

5. INCORPORATE OPM3 INTO MOCAH .................................................................... 75

5.1 Introduction ...................................................................................................... 75

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 5.2 OPM3 Process Overview ................................................................................. 77
5.3 OPM3 Assessment Steps.................................................................................. 78
5.3.1 Step One: Prepare for Assessment ............................................................... 78
5.3.2 Step Two: Perform Assessment ................................................................... 79
5.3.3 Step Three: Plan for Improvements.............................................................. 82
5.3.4 Step Four: Implement Improvements ........................................................... 84
5.3.5 Step Five: Repeat the Process ...................................................................... 86
5.4 Summary and Findings..................................................................................... 86

6. CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS....................................................... 88

6.1 Introduction ...................................................................................................... 88

6.2 Conclusions ...................................................................................................... 88
6.2.1 Summary ...................................................................................................... 88
6.2.2 Findings ........................................................................................................ 91
6.3 Research Significance and Contributions ........................................................ 91
6.4 Recommendations ............................................................................................ 92
6.4.1 Recommendations for MOCAH’s Project Management Processes ............. 92
6.4.2 Recommendations for the Standardization of Project Management
Domain ..................................................................................................................... 93
6.4.3 Recommendations for the Organizational Enablers (OEs) .......................... 94
6.5 Roadmap........................................................................................................... 96

REFERENCES ................................................................................................................. 98

APPENDIX A. SCORE SUMMARY FOR PROJECT MANAGEMENT ................... 104

APPENDIX B. MOCAH PLANNED ROADS PROJECTS (2015-2030) .................... 107

APPENDIX C. MOCAH PLANNED BRIDGES (2015-2030) ..................................... 111

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 LIST OF FIGURES

Page

Figure 1. Research Framework .......................................................................................... 8

Figure 2. The Relationships between Portfolios, Programs, and Projects ....................... 23

Figure 3. OPM3 Online Self-Assessment ........................................................................ 51

Figure 4. OPM3 ProductSuite and Capability-Outcome Statements ............................... 52

Figure 5. Figure. Kurdistan Flag, KRG Arm, and Kurdistan Region Map ...................... 56

Figure 6. MOCAH OBS 1 ................................................................................................ 63

Figure 7. MOCAH OBS 2 ................................................................................................ 64

Figure 8. SWOT Analysis Elements ................................................................................ 67

Figure 9. Conceptual MOCAH's OBS in Terms of (PPP) Management Domains .......... 76

xii
 LIST OF TABLES

Page

Table 1. Types of PMO Structures ................................................................................... 19

Table 2. Examples of OPM3 Application by other Companies ....................................... 38

Table 3.Assessment Results for WSRC ........................................................................... 41

Table 4. Assessment Results for SAA ............................................................................. 44

Table 5. Planned Roads Projects (2015-2030) ................................................................. 60

Table 6. Proposed Bridges (2015-2030) .......................................................................... 61

Table 7. Number and Positions of MOCAH's Employees ............................................... 65

Table 8. Project Management Processes .......................................................................... 77

Table 9. MOCAH's Stakeholders ..................................................................................... 80

Table 10. Summary of the Assessment Scores ................................................................ 81

Table 11. Score Summary for Process Maturity and Organizational Enablers ................ 83

Table 12. OEs Recommendations .................................................................................... 95

Table 13. Roadmap .......................................................................................................... 97

xiii
 1. INTRODUCTION

1.1 Research Overview

The dynamic condition of the industry environment increases the competition

among organizations and thereby increases more challenges for any organization to

sustain and obtain its strategic objectives. Therefore, it is essential for organizations to

adopt project management concepts as a strategic tool to achieve its objectives. The roots

of modern project management were recognized in the Second World War (Morris Peter

WG 1994), and developed in a limited number of engineering based industries during the

1950s, 1960s and 1970s (Cooke –Davies and Arzymanowe, 2003). Project management

is the application of knowledge, skills, tools, and techniques to project activities to meet

project requirements (The Project Management Institute [PMI] (2008)). It can also be

defined as a general purpose management process that can bring projects to successful

completion and to the satisfaction of the project stakeholders (Hutson, 1997).

Establishing the Ministry of Construction and Housing (MOCHA) in the Kurdistan

Regional Government (KRG) of Iraq was a significant step to fulfill the local demands of

projects in the region. Development projects in the developing countries are generally

focused towards infrastructure development, transportation, irrigation and agriculture

(Muspratt, 1987). MOCAH emphasizes reconstruction and development of infrastructure

in two main types of projects; housing and transportation (Ahmed, K., MOCAH Minister,

2013). Due to the destructive and harmful policies of Iraqi governments through several

decades, the Kurdistan Region suffered from serious problems regarding the infrastructure

1
projects. Therefore, since its establishment in 2004, MOCAH was tasked to face many

challenges due to the enormous urgent infrastructure development and construction

requirements. Accordingly, as a new organization in a developing country, MOCAH faces

a growing need to reorganize its organizational departments “to provide better

performance incentives to their public officials (Kulshreshtha, 2008)”. Within MOCAH,

as a public organization, it is common to realize “the lack of knowledge and awareness of

the new tools & techniques in the growing field of project management, which results

potential failure of the project with respect to scope, time and cost management (Sonuga,

et al, 2002)”.

To enhance the project management performance within MOCAH, “project

management maturity level must be high (Jammuldin. R et al 2010)”. According to

previous research, an organization should determine the project management maturity

assessment process as an effective approach for delivering projects successfully. To

optimize the organization’s current structure and project management performance, a

maturity model is required to assess MOCAH’s current status regarding its organizational

project management maturity. Previous research and case-studies document different

types of project management maturity models including:

- Capability Maturity Model/Integration (CMM)/(CMMI)

- Organizational Project Management Maturity Model (OPM3)

- PRINCE2 Maturity Model (P2MM)

- Program Management Maturity Model (PMMM)

- Portfolio, Program and Project Management Maturity Model (P3M3)

2
- Project Excellent Model.

Based on the functionality of the above maturity models, this research selected the

Organizational Project Management Maturity Model (OPM3) as an effective and suitable

model to assess MOCAH’s project management maturity. The reason for selecting the

OPM3 model was because this model is more adaptable for MOCAH, as a project–based

organization (PBO), than other models. Furthermore, the OPM3 is flexible and scalable

for the assessment process for most of organizations regardless of types, sizes, complexity,

and geographic location and it helps most organizations, no matter into which level of age

or maturity the organization is (PMI OPM3 Knowledge Foundation 2013).

Given the proprietary nature of the OPM3 assessment process, John Schlichter, a

founder of OPM Experts LLC, assisted in conducting the assessment in collaboration with

MOCAH stakeholders.

Due to limitations and constraints of the research and MOCAH’s challenging

conditions, the research scope is limited to assess the maturity of MOCAH in Project

Management Domain and to the Standardization level on the process improvement stage.

1.2 Research Problem Statement

The physical destruction and harmful policies of Iraqi governments have

undermined the infrastructure in Kurdistan Region. MOCAH is tasked to answer the

enormous urgent infrastructure development and construction requirements, but is

challenged by organizational and project management issues including:

3
 - Lack of organizational and project strategies,

- Insufficient budget, and

- Poor quality controls.

Due to the lack of effective assessment and organizational project management

performance, the current structure and operational procedures of MOCAH is not optimal

to successfully deliver current and future infrastructure needs of the Kurdistan Region.

1.3 Research Questions

This research aims to answer the following questions:

- What is the current status and structure of MOCAH’s project management office

(PMO)?

- Where is the current location of MOCAH on the continuum of organizational

project management maturity model (OPM3)?

- How does MOCAH stand in comparison with OPM3 concepts?

- How to utilize OPM3 knowledge, techniques, tools, and practices to improve

MOCAH in different levels of process improvements stage and project

management domains?

1.4 Research Objectives

The research aims to incorporate OPM3 standards and practices as a roadmap to

enhance MOCAH’s organizational project management capabilities by:

4
 - The assessment of MOCAH’s organizational project management processes and

its current organizational project management maturity status.

- Use the results of the assessment to develop an effective roadmap for

improvements, which in turn, allows MOCAH to deliver successful, predictable,

and reliable projects.

1.5 Research Scope

The research is limited in scope to assess the project management maturity of

MOCAH in the Project Management Domain and the Standardization level of process

improvement stages of OPM3.

1.6 Research Methodology

The objective of this research was to assess the level of MOCAH’s maturity in

terms of project management performances utilizing the OPM3 model. For this purpose,

the research has started with a literature review of PM, PMO, PBO, Project, Program and

Portfolio management, OPM, maturity concept, types of maturity models, and selecting

OPM3 as the model for the research case study “MOCAH”. Furthermore, the research

provided a comprehensive overview on OPM3 concepts, elements, domains, components,

construct, and assessment tools (Self-Assessment Method (SAM) and ProductSuite). In

addition, the research provided a brief background of the Kurdistan Region, the KRG, and

MOCAH including a SWOT analysis to recognize the strengths, weaknesses, threats, and

opportunities as a general review of MOCAH’s environment.

5
 To conduct the OPM3 assessment process, MOCAH worked with John Schlichter,

the originator of OPM3 on PMI’s behalf, to carry out the assessment process.

The first step was to apply the SAM tool, which included several questions about

MOCAH’s strategic objectives, the factors that can push MOCAH to achieve its goals,

and the potential risks that may hinder MOCAH to bridge between its strategies and

objectives.

In the second step, the OPM3 ProductSuite tool was applied by delivering

questionnaire/surveys to the stakeholders. The questionnaire included a number of

questions regarding; Best Practices of Standardization of Processes, and Organizational

Enablers (OEs) as documented in Appendix A.

After analyzing the results of the assessments steps (SAM and ProdcuctSuite),

the OPM3 assessor provided significant recommendations for further studies/research to

facilitate the execution of project management maturity agendas and to create project

management capability fitting MOCAH’s unique requirements and contingency factors.

6
 Figure 1 shows the research framework which illustrates the processes of how to

incorporate OPM3 concepts into the process of assessment and improvement of the

Kurdistan Regional Ministry of Construction and Housing (MOCAH-KRG). The

framework starts with identifying the research problem, defining research objectives, and

providing research literature review. In addition, the research framework shows the data

collection process by providing an overview of OPM3 concepts, a brief background of

KRG and MOCAH (including SWOT analysis), and other information provided by

MOCAH stakeholders. Furthermore, the framework shows the data analysis process

which includes the interaction between the OPM3 expert and MOCAH stakeholders to

conduct the OPM3 assessment. Finally, the results of the data analysis (OPM3 assessment)

were determined and the conclusions and recommendations were developed based on the

results.

7
Figure 1. Research Framework

8
1.7 Research Limitations/Constraints

A variety of factors limited the extension of this research and/r constrained the

scope as in follows:

1. Time limitations constrained the scope of the research to cover only the Project

Management domain and Standardize level within the process improvement rubric

of OPM3 (SMCI), which was appropriate to MOCAH (as proved by the

assessment scores) and precedes and invites more research analyses and studies to

cover (Program and Portfolio Management Domains) and other levels of the

process improvements stages (SMCI) in the future.

2. Lack of awareness and practice of project management and maturity knowledge in

MOCAH when this study was conducted.

3. Lack of prior research studies on organizational project management maturity

practices.

4. Unstable political status in the Kurdistan Region which impacted on the process

of gathering data about MOCAH and other relative KRG’s organizations.

5. Lack of available and reliable data concerning the concepts of project management

maturity within MOCAH.

6. Poor information technologies to facilitate an effective communication between

MOCAH stakeholders and the OPM expert caused delays and impacted the

assessment process.

9
1.8 Research Organization

Section 1

Section 1 of the research includes the research problem statement describing the

current issues within MOCAH regarding PM performance and practices. Also this section

provides the main questions and the research objectives that the research aimed to answer.

The scope of the research, research significance/contributions, research methodology, and

research constraints and limitations were included in this section.

Section 2

Section 2 provides the literature review on PM, PMO, PBO, Project, program and

Portfolio Management, maturity concepts. This section discuses different types of

maturity models and select OPM3 among those models for the research case study

(MOCAH) assessment. The section also discusses previous examples/case studies on

OPM3 and their findings.

Section 3

Section 3 provides a comprehensive understanding of OPM3 concepts including

OPM3 elements, domains, processes, components, construct, and OPM3 assessment tools.

10
Section 4

Section 4 provides a brief background of the Kurdistan Region and KRG.

Furthermore, this section presents a SWOT analysis of MOCAH.

Section 5

Section 5 discusses the OPM3 assessment process of MOCAH by conducting both

SAM and ProductSuite assessments. In addition, this section provides the analysis of the

collected data conducted by the OPM3 expert that surveyed MOCAH stakeholders.

Finally, this section discusses the findings of the assessment process.

Section 6

This section provides the conclusions and recommendations that are based on the

results of the assessment process conducted in Section 5. Recommendations for further

research are also discussed.

11
 2. LITERATURE REVIEW

2.1 What is a Project?

A project is a series of multi-functional activities and tasks that have a specific

objective to be completed within certain specifications, defined start and end dates,

funding limits, and consume human and non-human resources (Kerzner, 2009). It is also

defined as ‘a temporary endeavor undertaken to create a unique product, service, or result

(PMBOK Guide, 2013)’.

A project can be defined as “an endeavor in which human, material and financial

resources are organized in a novel way, to undertake a unique scope of work, of given

specification, within constraints of cost and time, so as to achieve beneficial change

defined by quantitative and qualitative objectives (Turner and Muller, 2003).

According to Meredith and Mantel a project is “a specific, finite task to be

accomplished” (Meredith and Mantel 2009). While The Office of Government Commerce

(OGC) defines a project within the PRINCE2 framework as “a temporary organization

that is created for the purpose of delivering one or more business products according to an

agreed Business Case” (OGC, 2009). Projects are defined as “a locus of attention for

strategy implementation and organizational and project learning (Pemsel et al 2014).

From the literature above, it can be understood that each project has its parameters

as time, cost, scope, schedule and quality. In addition, each project has its specific

resources and limitations/constraints such as: definite start and deadline, specific allocated

budget, human resources with variety of skills and knowledge, tools and mechanism,

12
technologies, materials, regulations and laws concerning the environmental and safety

aspects, and finally , but importantly, the shareholders/customers satisfaction. These

factors almost always differ from one project to another and significantly impact on

project type, size, and complexity. Therefore, different projects need different scenarios

of project management processes to achieve project objectives.

2.2 What is Project Management?

Due to the dynamic nature of projects in terms of type, size, and complexity,

project managers face continuous challenges in terms of uncertainties in the industry

environment, financial conditions, political aspects, technological improvements, and

availability of work force and materials for the projects. These uncertainties create

different scenarios for project managers to select and perform an optimal approach in

managing their projects through the project life cycle in which the projects’ outcomes

align with the organization’s objectives. Therefore, understanding project management

knowledge has become the key and essential requirement.

From the literature review of the history of project management, it can be found

that “for centuries, project management basically has been used to create change or deal

with change in societies”, however, in 1950s, project management was recognized

formally as a “distinct contribution arising from the management discipline” (Cleland and

Gareis, 2006).

The project management evolution has started as a management philosophy

limited to a few functional areas and considered as a nice thing to have, however, to

13
survive, many organizations within the firm consider project management as being

mandatory and project management has become an important field of study in many

colleges and universities (Kerzner 2009).

For many organizations, in order to satisfy the different needs of application areas

within a variety of industries and organizations, many organizations adopt project

management as an important means to characterize, define, and understand this field to

emphasize strengths, bases, and development (Bredillet, 2006).

According to Roland Garies (1994), there are two main approaches of project

management based on the way in which projects are perceived; first, traditional method-

oriented project management approach which is based on the perception of projects as

tasks with special characteristics, and second; systematic and process-oriented project

management approach which is based on the perception of projects as temporary

organizations and as social systems. Project management can be defined as “the discipline

of planning, organizing and managing resources to bring about the successful completion

of specific project goals and objectives” (Chatfield, 2007).

The PMI, under its publication (PMBOK Guide 5th edition 2013), defines project

management as “the application of knowledge, skills, tools, and techniques to project

activities to meet the project requirements”. Also, the PMI PMBOK Guide defines the

project management process groups as:

- Initiating,

- Planning,

- Executing,

14
 - Monitoring and Controlling, and

- Closing.

In addition, the PMBOK Guide identifies the project management areas of

knowledge as follows:

- Project Integration Management,

- Project Scope Management,

- Project Time Management,

- Project Cost Management,

- Project Quality Management,

- Project Human Resource Management,

- Project Communication Management,

- Project Risk Management,

- Project Procurement Management, and

- Project Stakeholders Management

Furthermore, it is significant for organizations to identify, plan, manage, and

control each of the areas of project management knowledge (PMBOK Guide, 2013).

2.3 Organizational Project Management (OPM)

Organizational Project Management (OPM) is the systematic management of

projects, programs, and portfolios in alignment with the achievement of strategic goals

(PMI OMP3 Knowledge Foundation, 2003).

15
 OPM is a strategy execution framework utilizing project, program, and portfolio

management as well as organizational enabling practices to consistently and predictably

deliver organizational strategy producing better performance, better results, and a

sustainable competitive advantage (PMI, PMBOK Guide, 2013).

OPM integrates the knowledge of (project, program, and portfolio) management,

organizational strategy (mission, vision, objectives, and goals), people (having competent

resources), and processes (the application of the stages of process improvement) (PMI

OPM3 2013).

2.4 Project Management Office (PMO)

The continuous change in the industry environment creates more challenges for

organizations to survive and gain profit within dynamic competitive environment. For

that, organizations should implement different polices to gain competitive advantageous.

Different policies develop organizational changes within the organizational structure and

organizational context. The significant way to solve issues associated with these changes

is to establish/embed an effective entity within dynamic organization structure which is

known as Project Management Office (PMO) entity (Aubry et al 2010).

Since 1990s, PMO has become a significant and common phenomenon in project

management that many organizations are interested in to improve and sustain as

specialized organizational entity (Hobbs and Aubry 2007).

Dai and Wells (2004) noted that despite adapting project management process

within organizations, many projects fail due to lack of strong project performance,

16
therefore, the key solution is establishing project management office. The PMO, also

known as a center of excellence/experts, is defined as an organizational entity necessity to

support project managers, teams and different management levels within the organization

in successfully implementing project management concepts, tools, and techniques (Dai

and Wells, 2004).

According to the PMI PMBOK Guide (2013), “PMO is a management structure

that standardizes the project-related governance processes and facilitates the sharing of

resources, methodologies, tools, and techniques.”

PMO can refer to (Portfolio, Program, or Project) management office and can be

defined as “an organizational body assigned with various responsibilities related to the

centralized and coordinated management of those projects under its domain.” (PMI OPM3

Knowledge Foundation 2013). The range of PMO responsibilities can be “from providing

project management support functions to actually being responsible for the direct

management of one or more projects.” (PMBOK 2013).

To keep the consistency and alignment between the projects and programs with

the organization’s objectives, a PMO can take a delegated role as an essential stakeholder

to decide on significant actions regarding the organization’s projects (PMI OMP3, 2013).

Based on PMBOK Guide 2013, a PMO’s primary function is to support project

managers in many different ways, such as; developing and managing shared

documentation (project policies, procedures, and templates); coaching, mentoring,

training, and oversight; Managing shared resources across all projects administered by the

PMO; and coordinating communication across projects (PMBOK Guide, 2013).

17
 From previous researches and descriptive surveys, posed to number of

organizations regarding the existence of PMOs, the value of PMOs for organizations is

often debatable (Gorshkova E., 2011), as in the following examples;

- 42% of the respondents confirmed that the relevance or even the existence of

the PMO been seriously questioned in their organizations in recent years

(Hobbs et al, 2007).

- 60% of respondents claimed that the value of PMO being argued by the senior

management, project/program managers, or customers (ESI International,

2011).

- 41% of respondents from non-PMO staff found role fulfilment by PMOs in

their organizations moderately good or poor (ESI International, 2011).

Based on the degree of control and influence that PMO has on projects within the

organizations, there are several types of PMO structures; supportive, controlling, and

directive in which each type has its own role, deliverables, the service provided to projects,

and the degree of controlling the projects (PMBOK Guide 2013) which can be illustrated

as in Table 1.

18
 Table 1. Types of PMO Structures
PMO
PMO PMO PMO PMO
Degree of
Type Role Deliverables Service
Control
Supportive Consultative - Templates, Project repository Low
- Best practices,
- Training,
- Access to information, and
- Lessons learned from other
projects.
Controlling Controlling - provide support and require Project Controls Moderate
PMOs compliance (PM frameworks or
methodologies) through various
means,
- using specific templates,
forms and tools, or
conformance to governance.
Directive Directing Directions of projects Directing project High
PMOs controls

2.5 Types of Organizations

Organization’s ability to deliver projects successfully is influenced by the

organizational structure which determine the communication requirements,

responsibilities, and management reporting structure (PMI PMBOK Guide, 2013). To

manage a project, a company or authority has to set up a project organization, which can

supply the resources for the project and service it during its life cycle (Lester A, 2006).

Kerzner defines three types of organizations as; project-driven, non-project-driven, and

19
hybrid organizations (Kerzner, 2001). While Lester classifies these types as; functional,

matrix, and project or task force (Lester A, 2006).

The PMI PMBOK Guide (2013) explains the three types of the organizations as

follows:

a) Functional organization: is an organizational structure with different

departments that are independent from each other in implementing the project

assigned to each department. Each employee has one clear superior in the

organization hierarchy and the team members are assigned by their specialty at the

top level for different divisions such as engineering, production, marketing, and

accounting.

b) Matrix organization: has characteristics between the functional and projectized

organizations, and relatively it can be classified as weak, balanced, or strong

depending on the level of power and influence between managers of functional

and projectized organizations. The more projectized characteristics the matrix

organization has, the stronger the matrix organization is and vice versa. While the

balance matrix is in between depending on the project management needs of the

power and authority of project managers to balance between the coordination and

administration of the projects.

c) Projectized organization: is an organizational structure with different

departments in which team members are co-located and can report either to the

project manager or support services to the various projects. The project manager

has a great deal of authority and independence. The co-located teams are well

20
 collaborative and communicated to obtain the project teams objectives

successfully.

2.6 Project-Based Organizations (PBOs)

This research emphasizes on PBO type to deal with its case study MOCAH as

project-based organization for the assessment and analysis processes. PBO, as explained

in the previous section, is one of the organizational structures that organizations have

depending on the organizational management characteristics regarding to the power,

authority, and independence of project managers across the organization’s

departments/divisions.

Based on some studies, the PBO is preferable among many organizations rather

than the functional and matrix organizations assuming that PBO is more suitable for

organization management in terms of “increasing product complexity, fast changing

markets, cross-functional business expertise, customer-focused innovation and market,

and technological uncertainty.” (Hobday 2000).

According to PMI PMBOK Guide 2013, PBOs is defined as “a variety of

organizational forms that involve the creation of temporary systems for the performance

of projects. PBOs conduct the majority of their activities as projects and/or provide project

over functional approaches.” PBOs emphasizes on projects rather than functional

approaches to conduct the majority of their activities to provide more advantages that other

types of organizations. PBOs manage portfolios and resources in a way that ensure high

level of integration, effective communication, more project emphasis (PMI OPM3, 2013).

21
 PBO is considered as the ideal type of project organization by which the project

manager has complete control over every aspect of the project (Lester 2006).

2.7 Portfolios, Programs, and Projects

A portfolio refers to a collection of projects, programs, subportfolios, and

operations managed as a group to achieve strategic objectives (PMI PMBOK Guide,

2013). Programs consist of subprograms and individual projects that are managed with

better performance and outcomes than if these projects are managed individually. The

projects within a portfolio may not be included to any programs but are linked to the

strategic plan of the organization’s portfolio. Therefore, the relationship between the

programs and projects may not necessarily be interdependent or directly related, however,

they are linked to the strategic plan of the organization’s portfolio (PMI PMBOK Guide.

2013). Figure 2 illustrates the relationships between portfolios, programs, and projects.

22
 Portfolio

Subportfolios Programs Projects

Projects Programs Projects Subprograms

Projects Subprograms Projects

Projects

Figure 2. The Relationships between Portfolios, Programs, and Projects

(Modified from PMI OPM3, 2013)

2.8 Maturity Concept and Definition

As the industry environment has seen dramatic change recently and become more

complex, the application of management skills, tools, approaches, techniques, and

technologies become imperative for organizations to increase their efficiency and

productivity. Many organizations nowadays expanded its range of activities to deal with

more than one project to increase its return of investment. In order to sustain and compete

within the dynamic competitive business industry, they improved their organizational

project management continuously to fulfill its strategic objectives.

23
 Therefore, to obtain this significant objective, it has become critical for

organizations to continuously assess its organizational management performance by

repeatedly evaluate, measure, standardize, and conduct improvements processes for better

future. By proceeding these imperative steps, the organization can assess its maturity in

terms of project management performance. Accordingly, organizations need to have a

clear understanding of maturity concept.

Many resources (dictionaries and researches) have defined the “maturity” word in

different ways and perspectives. For instance, the word maturity is defined as “the state or

conditions of being mature, ripe, fully developed, and approaching perfection” (Webster’s

dictionary) and having reached the most advanced stage in a process” (the Oxford

Dictionary of English Dictionary (ODE 2010), in other words maturity is the quality or

state of being mature.

A maturity is defined as “an amalgam of education, ability, confidence and

willingness to take responsibility.” (Lester 2006). In general, the concept of maturity, has

been the subject of a tremendous number of studies, and this concept evolved into what is

now known as maturity (Dinson, 2003). To define the maturity to an organization, it can

be refer to a perfect state of the organization to achieve its objectives (Walker et al., 1995).

Maturity is also defined as one of the organizational life cycle phases. In Kerzner

project management maturity model (PMMM), the maturity is the fifth (last) phase of the

life-cycle phases for project management maturity, which are: “Embryonic Phase,

Executive Management Acceptance Phase, Line Management Acceptance Phase, and

Maturity Phase” (Kerzner 2009). In addition, Kerzner defines project management

24
maturity as maturity as the development of systems and processes that are repetitive in

nature and provide a high probability that each project will be a success.

While in the PMI OPM3 model, the organizational maturity phase is located as the

third phase between four phases as: “Birth or Startup, Growth, Mature Operation, and

Decline or evolution.” (PMI OPM3, 2013), and the PMI defines the maturity concept as

“the degree to which an organization practices organizational project management”.

On the other hand, the PMI OPM3 defines the maturity “through the existence of

best practices” in which a best practice is “an optimal way currently recognized by

industry to achieve a stated goal or objective” (PMI, 2003).

The project management maturity is the sophisticated level of an organization

which indicates the current organization’s project management performance, processes,

and practices (Ibbs and Kwak 2000).

Furthermore, project management maturity is the progressive development of an

enterprise-wide project management approach, methodology, strategy, and decision-

making process (International Journal of Business Administration 2006).

For any organization to deliver successful projects it is critical to understand the

organizational project management maturity (OPMM) as “the level of an organization’s

ability to deliver the desired strategic outcomes in a predictable, controllable, and reliable

manner.”(PMBOK Guide, 2013).

The maturity level has become an indicator to organization’s performance and

efficiency. Based on (Pennypacker, 2002) studies, 30% of mature organizations showed

more than 25% improvement when compared to less mature organizations. Accordingly,

25
it can be concluded that the higher the maturity levels of an organization, the better its

performance in all observed areas (Pennypacker and Grant ., 2006).

According to a study conducted by PricewaterhouseCoopers (PWC), 200

respondents reported an average maturity score of 2.5, furthermore, the findings concluded

that the percent of the companies that wished to increase their maturity level was 60% and

71% for those who wanted to increase their level by more than one step (Oforil and Deffor,

2013).Grant and Pennypacker (2006) conducted a survey of 126 organizations from

different industries, the results showed that the median project management model level

is to 2 out of 5 with respect to 36 of the 42 components analyzed. Accordingly, maturity

concept has become a significant process for many organizations seek higher performance

and efficiency to manage their projects successfully with the desired outcomes.

On the other hand, (Andersen and Jessen, 2003), mentioned that there is no fully

matured organization in the real world that has achieved the highest level of developments

and no one will.

Organizations attempt and desire to have higher level of maturity, however, the

process to achieve any desired level of maturity needs the implementation of effective and

suitable standard methodology and processes “such that there exists a high likelihood of

repeated successes.” (Kerzner, 2009), in other words, the process requires the

implementation of structured approach, known as “Maturity Model”. (Andersen and

Jessen, 2003).

26
2.9 Maturity Models

A “maturity model” is a conceptual framework that describes the characteristics of

effective processes in areas as diverse as strategic business planning, business

development, systems engineering, project management, risk management, information

technology (IT) or personnel management (PMI OPM3, 2008).

Project Management Maturity models (PMMMs) provide a systematic means to

perform benchmarking and hence are adding considerable value to contemporary

organizations (Korbel and Benedict, 2008). Previous researches referred the roots of

maturity concepts to the Total Quality Management (TQM) movement in which the results

of applications of the statistical process control techniques showed that in any maturity

improvement process :1) the variability in the process is reduced, and 2) the process

performance is increased ( Cooke-Davies and Arzymanowe, 2003).

As the modern maturity models, the Software Engineering Institute (SEI) of

Carnage-Mellon University between 1986 and 1993 (Schlichter J. 2003) developed the

Capability Maturity Model (CMM) (which has improved later to CMMI) to obtain the

objectives through continuum improvements by improving the quality of the software

development processes (Paul et al., 1993).

Previous studies showed that there are many types of maturity models that are

developed according to different functions and applications of project management

maturity processes. According to Kohlegger et al (2009), there are over 70 different

maturity models that have different characteristics, therefore, it is significant to have clear

27
understanding of each model before developing or revising it (Kohlegger et al., 2009, cited

by Karim, S.B.A. et al., 2014).

(Karim, S.B.A. et al., 2014) explained that there are 25 examples of maturity

models that are used for the assessment and improvement project management

performance within different organizations and companies, as follows:

1. Automated Software Testing Maturity Model (ASTMM),

2. Capability Maturity Model for Software (SW-CMM),

3. Capability Maturity Model Integration (CMMI),

4. Configuration Management Maturity Model,

5. Earned Value Management Maturity Model (EVM3),

6. Information Process Maturity Model (IPMM),

7. Integrated Product Development Capability Maturity Model (IPD-CMM),

8. IT Architecture Maturity Model,

9. Information Technology Infrastructure Maturity Model (ITI-MM),

10. IT Service Capability Maturity Model (IT Service-CMM),

11. Operations Maturity Model (OMM),

12. Organizational Project Management Maturity Model (OPM3),

13. Outsourcing Management Maturity Model,

14. People Capability Maturity Model (P-CMM),

15. Performance Engineering Maturity Model (PEMM),

16. Portfolio, Program and Project Management Maturity Model (P3M3),

17. Program Management Maturity Model,

28
 18. Project Management Maturity Model (PMMM),

19. Service Integration Maturity Model (SIMM),

20. Risk Management Maturity Model (RMM),

21. Software Engineering Capability Maturity Model (SE-CMM),

22. Software Reliability Engineering Maturity Model,

23. Testing Maturity Model for Quality Assurance (TMM),

24. Web Services Maturity Model, and

25. Website Maturity Model.

Different project management maturity models (PMMMs) are due to different

sectors, scope, levels, self-assessed, facilitator-led, and accreditation for each model

applied by different organizations with different business activities (Montero G., 2013).

This means that not all PMMMs are the same and not applicable for all companies,

organizations, and firms. Some PMMMs are applicable for software institutes, others for

human capital.

Organizational Project Management Maturity Model (OPM3) which is developed

by Project Management Institute (PMI), is one of the effective and instrumental PMMMs.

This research has selected OPM3 as the best PMMM that can be more applicable to

conduct the assessment processes and desired improvements for the research case-study

the Kurdistan Region Ministry of Construction and Housing (MOCAH-KRG). In the next

chapter, the OPM3 model is explained in detail to provide clear understanding of the

OPM3 concepts before incorporating the model into the assessment process and future

improvements for MOCAH.

29
 3. OPM3 CONCEPTS

3.1 Introduction

For any organization to survive, sustain, and keep on track, it is essential to manage

the potential changes within the organizational structure (internal changes) and the

industry environment (external changes). The internal change has become an imperative

to fulfil the organizational strategic objectives in alignment with the value interests of

variety of disciplines and stakeholders within the organization. Conversely, the external

changes are inevitable due to dynamic competitive environment of the industries, in which

other competitors continuously attempt to gain a competitive advantage to face possible

challenges that may increase the potential threats to the organization.

For successful outcomes from the change management processes, organizations

should implement its strategy successfully, consistently, and predictably, and one of the

best ways to achieve this goal is to adopt an appropriate standard/model, such as

Organizational Project Management Maturity Model (OPM3).

In this chapter, the research provides an overview of OPM3 including the OPM3

concepts and definition, the history of OPM3, benefits of OPM3, examples of OPM3

application, OPM3 elements, OPM3 domains, OPM3 processes, OPM3 construct, and

OPM3 assessment tools and processes.

30
3.1.1 What is OPM3?

The Project Management Institute (PMI) defines OPM3 as “an acronym for

Organizational Project Management Maturity Model, and it is a standard developed under

the supervision of the PMI.” (PMI OPM3, 2003). This standard is an instrumental means

to help organizations to recognize its organizational management and to assess its

organizational project management maturity depending on identified best practices.

OPM3 is an effective way to “bridge the gap between the organizational strategy and

successful projects (PMI OPM3 Knowledge Foundation, 2003).

The OPM3 program aims to support organizations to improve the capabilities that

strengthen the enterprise-wide processes used in the domains of Portfolio, Program, and

Project management within the organization in alignment with the strategic objectives

(Kevin P. Grant and James S. Pennypacker, 2006). OPM3 is a significant means to

increase the performance within organizations through a positive relationship between

organizational project management and the performance of the participants in the project.

Incorporating OPM3 into organizational project management processes transforms

the portfolio, program, and project domain processes into high-quality that are well

understood, repeatable and predictable (PMI OPM3, 2003). Comparing OPM3 with other

PMMMs, the PMI indicated that OPM3 is more flexible and scalable than other models

in which any organization can adopt it, regardless of types, sizes, complexity, geographic

location, age, maturity, and other factors (PMI OPM3, 2013).

This means that OPM3 model can be applied for any domain of Project, Program,

or Portfolio (PPP) management and to any level of the process improvements stages;

31
Standardization, Measurement, Control, and Continuous Improvements (SMCI) (PMI,

2013).

3.1.2 The History of OPM3

The history of OPM3 started in 1998 as a story of a team established by the PMI,

in which hundreds of unpaid volunteers from variety of professionals across the world

joined the process to put the first cornerstone to develop an international standard. The

Capability Maturity Model (CMM), developed by the SEI, was the common maturity

model at that time, and the PMI standards teams determined developing such standard and

even better. This standard was considered by the PMI’s team as the first of its kind based

on several characteristics that may distinguished this standard/model from other PMMMs.

According to (Schlichter, J. et al. 2003), some of these characteristics are:

- The OPM3 standard can help organizations to assess and improve their project

management as well as the capabilities necessary to achieve organizational

strategies through projects,

- The OPM3 standard as a PMMM to set standard for excellence in project PPP

management best practices and explain the capabilities necessary to achieve

these best practices.

- Widespread participation from more professionals across industries and

geographies than any other initiative to develop a maturity model to date.

In 1999, John Schlichter became the Program Director of the OPM3 Program after

he joined the PMI Standards Member Advisory Group (Standards MAG). He assembled

32
a core team called as the “Guidance Team” which was grouped from 800 of volunteers

across 35 countries to participate in the program and they spent between four to five years

to create the OPM3 standard (Schlichter, J. 2009).

The program’s mission was to develop a maturity model that provides methods for

assessing and developing capabilities that enhance an organization’s ability to deliver

projects successfully, consistently, and predictably in order to accomplish the strategies of

the organization and improve organizational effectiveness. The leadership’s vision was to

create a broadly and willingly validated maturity model that is recognized internationally

as the standard to develop and assess PM Capabilities within any organization (Schlichter,

J. et al., 2003).

The PMI research teams identified 27 PMMMs, accordingly, seventeen sub-teams

were formed to review a representative selection of those models. Based on the results of

sub-teams research, the OPM3 leaderships at the PMI found that there are questions left

unanswered by the existing models regarding project management maturity. Therefore,

the OPM3 would significantly benefit PMI’s stakeholders. The main objective of the

research was to develop best practices in project, program, and portfolio management.

These best practices were defined as Capability Statements and Outcomes Statements.

In the earlier stages of emerging OPM3 standard, the Self-Assessment Module

(SAM), (as known as OPM3 Online assessment tool), was used by many organizations

and companies for assessment OPMM. However, the SAM (OPM3 Online) was no more

used because of some problems, as Schlichter mentioned:

33
 - The users of OPM3 Online tool had to answer about 150 questions including

project, program, and portfolio management at the same time which could not

be emphasized on a specific area required to be assessed and improved.

- OPM3 Online questions only allowed simple “Yes” or “No” answers which

could not give partial credit for partially implemented best practices.

Therefore, the second OPM3 assessment tool was developed as (OPM3

ProductSuite). This tool is more flexible and applicable than the OPM3 Online tool and

it helps the organization to determine actual maturity per the Capability-Outcomes of the

OPM3 Standard. Thus, select specific area for assessment and improvement without

conducting the process through the entire areas of project management improvements

across the organization.

The PMI has published the first edition of OPM3 standard as “Project Management

Maturity Model (OPM3) Knowledge Foundation in 2003, the second edition in 2008, and

the third edition in 2013. In these publications, the PMI incorporated the knowledge from

its most famous publication of Project Management Book of Knowledge Guide (PMBOK

Guide), which has five versions/editions (the 1st edition was published in 1987, and the 5th

in 2013).

The OPM3 standard helps organizations to improve organizational project

management for project, program, and portfolio by translate strategy into successful

outcomes in a consistent and predictable manner through its three key elements;

1) Knowledge element,

2) Assessment element, and

34
 3) Improvement element

3.1.3 What Does OPM3 Do?

(PMI OPM3, 2003) indicated that OPM3 application effectively supports

organizations to increase its efficiency and PM performance by:

- Integrating the cooperative knowledge of the OPM community from a varied

assortment of businesses and different locations,

- Recognizing and forming generally accepted and proven OPM practices,

- Support organizations to evaluate its current maturity and how to step for

higher level of maturity in the future,

- Developing a framework to assess organization’s practices compared to

OPM3 Best Practices,

- Developing a guideline based on the assessment results to guide organizations

to achieve further improvements, and

- Supporting organizational decision making to be ready for any potential

changes.

3.1.4 OPM3 Benefits

OPM3 application significantly benefits organizations, senior management, and

participants in the PM processes through wide range of benefits (PMI OPM3, 2013) as in

the followings:

- Enhance the relationship between organization strategy and project execution,

35
 - Deliver projects predictably and reliably,

- Increase organization efficiency,

- Improve PM performance,

- Increase productivity,

- Increase profitability,

- Decrease cost and rework,

- Increase market share,

- Improve customer satisfaction and,

- Provide competitive advantage.

3.1.5 OPM3 Purpose

The main purpose of OPM3 is to ensure that:

- The organization carries out the right projects and allocates resources

properly,

- There is a clear understanding of the linkages between strategic vision, the

initiatives that support the vision, and the objectives and deliverables to be

achieved by portfolios of programs and projects, and

- The stakeholders’ interests are aligned with market demands.

3.2 OPM3 Previous Case Studies (Examples)

Before implementing any new approach, tool, or standard, it is crucial for the

organization to conduct comprehensive studies/researches to validate the existent

36
standards, approaches, and tools based on the findings of previous similar case studies.

Therefore, the organization’s managers should determine whether their organization can

carry out the process or not by undertaking some important steps as follows:

- Recognize the background of other organizations (case studies) to be

compared with the organization,

- They should identify the main reasons that stood behind the application of the

desired approach by those organizations, and

- Evaluate the available alternatives to select the best one based on the results

of the previous examples.

Therefore, it is significant for MOCAH managers to recognize and identify the

previous results that other organizations achieved after implementing OPM3 approach in

there organizational project management processes to assess and improve the OPMM.

Through the literature review of OPM3 conducted by this research, there were

several of organizations and industries from different countries around the world applied

OPM3 standard. They found OPM3 as an effective approach to assess their organizations’

current project management maturity and utilized OPM3 as a significant framework for

continuous improvements in the future.

Some examples, as in Table 2, are given in this research to explain the application

of OPM3 and its results in terms of the assessment and improvements processes for

organizational project management maturity. Furthermore, the research illustrates the

OPM3 improvement cycle to help organizations how to prepare for assessment processes,

37
perform assessment, plan for improvements, implement improvements, and repeat the

process for continuous improvements.

Table 2. Examples of OPM3 Application by other Companies

Name of the
# Company/ Case Reference
Study

1 The Washington OPM3® CASE STUDY OPM3® ProductSuite in Action: Savannah River
Savannah River Site.
Co. (WSRC),
Headquartered in
Boise, Idaho, USA. http://opm3online.pmi.org

2 Shanghai Airport Application of Organizational Project Management Maturity Model (OPM3)

Authority to Construction in China: An Empirical Study,

“2008 International Conference on Information Management, Innovation

Management and Industrial Engineering”

http://www.researchgate.net/publication/232629214

3 Honk Kong MNCs OPM3 In Honk Kong MNCs.

http://www.knowledgecentury.com/download/opm3_050607_hkcs.pdf

4 IProcure Systems Organizational Project Management Maturity Model (OPM3): A Case Study
Inc. (ISI),
“Sanjay Desai, GE Corporate, USA; Jakov Crnkovic, University at Albany
(SUNY), Albany, New York, USA; E-

Peter Ross, University at Albany (SUNY), Albany, New York, USA;

http://www.irma-international.org/viewtitle/33338/

5 Siemens Corporate Accelerating Organizational Project Management Maturity At Siemens.

Technology
http://www.mundopm.com.br/eventos/ipemac/ppt/kevin05.pdf

38
 Table 2. Cont’d

Name of the
# Company/ Case Reference
Study

6 Ministry of Transforming the Project Management Culture within the Ministry of Interior
Interior, Kingdom Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
of Saudi Arabia
http://www.opmexperts.com/opm3_national_security.pdf

7 Ambithus, Lisboa, Project Management Institute (PMI), Organizational Project Management

Portugal Maturity Model (OPM3) © 2013 – Third Edition

8 Mapna Special Project Management Institute (PMI), Organizational Project Management

Projects Maturity Model (OPM3) © 2013 – Third Edition
Construction, Iran

In the following sections, the research provides detail about two of these examples

explaining the company background, problems and challenges, solutions, and the

assessment results.

3.2.1 Example 1: The Washington Savannah River Co. (WSRC).

3.2.1.1 Background

With more than $3 billion in annual revenue and around 24,000 people,

Washington Group headquartered in Boise, Idaho, USA. It has multiple projects around

the world in variety of projects; power, defense, oil and gas processing, environmental

management, industrial facilities, transportation and water resources. Its subsidiary the

Washington Savannah River Co. (WSRC), has been selected as the first pilot project

volunteer.
39
 The leaders of the company has step toward achieving a strategic goal to align

business results with the organization strategy through internal initiatives driven by project

managers. To achieve this goal, OPM3 standard and OPM3 ProductSuite was conducted.

In March 2006, the process was started by forming a team of four trained persons,

trained under PMI Certified OPM3 Assessor certification program. The main objective of

the process was to assess the OPMM by incorporating OPM3 ProductSuite methodology

and tools, and thereby evaluate the findings of the assessment process (PMI OPM3, 2006).

3.2.1.2 Challenges

Technical, scope management, cost and schedule, difficulty in achieving best

practices in traditional project areas, and inappropriate to apply PM to general operational

tasks were addressed as the main challenges for WSRC to apply PM principle to improve

efficiency and meet strategic goals.

3.2.1.3 Solutions

To solve these problems/challenges, the assessment team employed OPM3

methodology to support WSRC analysis of its OPMM and how to apply PPP management

principles (knowledge, skills, tools, and techniques) and best practices to obtain its

objectives. However, there were some barriers that restricted the robustness of the

assessment and impacted the scope of the assessment, such as; limited time for the

assessment, limited number of assessors to conduct the assessment, and the available

version of OPM3 ProductSuite was under development at the assessment. Accordingly,

40
the process scope included the stages; (standardize, measure, control, and improvement)

and two domains of OPM3; (project management and program management) but excluded

the portfolio management domain (PMI OPM3, 2006).

3.2.1.4 Results

The maturity degree for WSRC, in general, was very high and the results of the

assessment can be illustrated as in Table 3.

Table 3.Assessment Results for WSRC

Maturity
# Assessment Area / Domain
Degree %

1 Site’s Organizational Enablers (benchmarking, benchmarking, executive

sponsorship, knowledge management, resource allocation, strategic alignment, 97
project management training and metrics)

2 Project Management 97

3 Program Management 94

4 Portfolio Management Not Included

41
3.2.2 Example 2: Shanghai Airport Authority

3.2.2.1 Background

As an organization, Shanghai Airport Authority (SAA) was established by the

Municipal Government of Shanghai in charge of the construction and utilization of

Pudong International Airport. It has undertaken the entire design and operation of both

Terminal 1 and Terminal 2 of Pudong International Airport. The main goal of SAA was“to

make Shanghai airport the most attractive core air hub in Asia-Pacific region, become

world-class airport operator and ascend to the most valuable airport company.” 1

OPM3 standard was used as a desirable model to assess Shanghai Pudong

International Airport Construction Project and its management organizations, including

Terminal, Flight, Aviation Control, supporting facilities, and Oil Supply (Gungshe J. et

al., 2008).

3.2.2.2 Challenges

Despite the significant efforts have been made in PM regarding the theoretical

research and incorporating the theory into practice in China, there are many challenges on

the local market as China was starting to integrate project management techniques into

construction. (Guangshe J. et al., 2008). Accordingly, the large-scale construction projects

in China needs: 1) standardization, 2) governance, and 3) acceptable PM experience.

1
The information was adapted from the official website of Shanghai Airport Authority;
(http://en.shairport.com/2012-05/26/content_15888467.htm).
42
3.2.2.3 Solutions

The application of OPM3 to SAA used to assess the feasibility and challenges to

implement the OPM3 standard and to suggest a model to match the large-scale

construction projects with Chinese characteristics. To achieve this goal, the SAA project

managers should determine:

- Understanding of OPM3 basic concepts in order to prepare for the assessment

of SSA’s OPMM against the OPM3 best practices,

- Understanding OPM3 concepts as a whole package, and

- Providing support to be familiarized with the OPM3 assessment process.

On the other hand, the OPM3 assessor should have clear understanding about the

SSA organization background, structure, and processes to be compared with OPM3

concepts, PPP domains, and assessment processes.

Based on that, the questionnaire and the surveys were developed in a suitable way

to be more practical and acceptable by the stakeholders and participants in the OPM3

assessment process.

3.2.2.4 Results

After the assessment process has been conducted, many reports were provided as

the results of the maturity assessment of SSA organization, and the summary of the

findings can be explained as in Table 4.

43
 Table 4. Assessment Results for SAA
(Adapted from Guangshe J. et al., 2008)

Maturity Degree %
Domain
Standardize Measure Control Improvement

Project 69.25 60.5 54.25 46.875

Program 66.125 58 50.5 42.465

Portfolio 42.375 29.625 16.625 7.785

In summary, based on the results of the two examples discussed before (but not

limited to), the OPM3 standard has become one of the remarkable models to assess the

project management maturity levels for any organizations regardless of the types, sizes,

complexity, geographic location. And it can be used for the assessment process for any

domain of; project, program, or portfolio management, and to any process improvement

stages; standardize, measure, control, and improvements (SCMI) (PMI OPM3, 2013).

3.3 OPM3 Key Elements

OPM3 consists of three key elements:

44
3.3.1 Knowledge

Presents the contents of OPM3 including an executive summary, a narrative

explanation to understand organizational project management, definition and application

toward organizational management maturity, terms of OPM3 standard, OPM3 steps,

OPM3’s appendices, glossary, and indices. (PMI OPM3, 2003).

3.3.2 Assessment

Supports the organization to assess its current organizational project management

and organizational project management maturity to be compared with OPM3 standard.

3.3.3 Improvement

After conducting the assessment process, the organization can identify new set of

Capabilities which supports the organization to form a basis of plans for future

improvements.

3.4 OPM3 Domains

According to the Project Management Institute (PMI) and the PMBOK ® Guide,

the organizational project management can be divided into three domains as following:

45
3.4.1 Project Management Domain

The basic domain of OPM3 is the Project Management Domain which deals with

individual projects. Two or more projects can comprise the second domain as Program

Management Domain.

3.4.2 Program Management Domain

OPM3 context defines a program “as a group of related projects managed in a

coordinated way to obtain benefits and control not available from managing them

individually.”

3.4.3 Portfolio Management Domain

A portfolio domain is comprised of a group of programs, projects, and other work

grouped together to provide effective management to achieve the organizational objectives

successfully, consistently, and predictably.

3.5 Organizational Project Management Processes

PMBOK ® Guide - Chapter 3, explains that the project management domain

consists of five process groups as follows:

1) Initiating Process Group (PG1)

2) Planning Process Group (PG2)

3) Executing Process Group (PG3)

4) Monitoring and Controlling Process Group (PG4)

46
 5) Closing Process Group (PG5)

3.6 OPM3 Best Practices

The PMI defines a Best Practice as “an optimal way currently observed by industry

to achieve stated goal or objective. For organizational project management this includes

the ability to deliver projects predictably, consistently, and successfully to implement

organizational strategies. ”

3.6.1 Best Practice Constituent Components

3.6.1.1 Capabilities

A Capability can be defined as a specific competency that helps an organization to

execute project management processes and deliver projects management services and

products. The existence of successful Outcomes is important to determine Capabilities, by

which two or more Capabilities are aggregated to make one Best Practice (PMI, 2008).

3.6.1.2 Outcomes

The application of a Capability leads to number of tangible or intangible

Outcomes.

47
3.6.1.3 Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

The Outcomes that are created by the application of a Capability can be determined

either quantitatively or qualitatively by a criterion called Key Performance Indicator

(KPI).

3.7 OPM3 Improvement Stages (SMCI)

The OPM3 improvement stages are recognized by the PMI as four main stages:
1. Standardization,
2. Measurement,
3. Control, and
4. Improvement

These are the stages that each organization should obtain them stage after stage to

achieve desired improvement for the organizational management processes.

The Capabilities follow the process improvement path of “Standardize, Measure,

Control, and Continuously Improvement (SMCI).”Organizational Enablers (OE) Best

Practices: the Capabilities DO NOT follow the SMCI process improvement path (PMI

OPM3, 2008).

3.8 Organizational Enablers (OEs) Best Practices

They are (Structural, Cultural, Technological, and Human-resource) practices that

can be leveraged to support and sustain the implementation of Best Practices (PMI OPM3,

2013).

The PMI OPM3, 2013 categorizes the OEs as follows:

48
 - Sponsorship,

- Governance,

- Benchmarking,

- Strategic Alignment,

- Organizational Project Management Policy and Vision,

- Organizational Project Management Techniques,

- Organizational Project Management Methodology,

- Organizational Project Management Practices,

- Organizational Project Management Communities,

- Resource Allocation,

- Project Success Criteria,

- Project Management Metrics,

- Organizational Structures,

- Management Systems,

- Project Management Training,

- Competency Management,

- Individual Performance Appraisals,

- Knowledge Management and Project Management Information System (PMIS)

3.9 Dependencies and Interrelationships among OPM3 Components

The PMI concluded that organizational project management maturity is increased

by achieving the SMCIs Best Practices within the project management domains of
49
projects, programs, and portfolios, supported by the Organizational Enablers (OEs) Best

Practices.

3.10 OPM3 Maturity Assessment Tools

The PMI developed two different tools to assess current state of maturity of an

organization and then use the results of this assessment to improve the organization

maturity stage in the future. These two assessments tools are explained as follows:

1) Self-Assessment Module (SAM) also known as (OPM3 Online) assessment

tool.

2) OPM3 ProductSuite assessment tool.

3.10.1 SAM/ OPM3 Online

When the PMI research teams developed OPM3 standard in 2003, it provided the

Self-Assessment Module (SAM). First, the tool was offered as a CD accompanying the

book of “OPM3 Knowledge Foundation- First Edition-2003”. Later, it was offered as an

online process via the Internet and was known as “OPM3 Online” 2. The process consists

of (151) questions to be answered only by “Yes” or “No” as depicted in Figure 3.

2
http://opm3online.pmi.org/demo/wheretofocus.shtml
50
 Figure 3. OPM3 Online Self-Assessment

The PMI’s experts realized that the (SAM) or OPM3 Online was ineffective tool

for assessing and implementing OPM3. Therefore, PMI withdrew the OPM3 Online

assessment tool and reverted to the better tool created in 2005, which is called (OPM3

ProductSuite).

3.10.2 OPM3 ProductSuite Assessment Tool

As an effective tool to better assess and develop an organization’s maturity, PMI

aided by a strategic partnership, Det Norske Veritas (DNV) a Norwegian Company,

developed the (OPM3 ProductSuite) assessment tool to be used as an effective tool to

assess and improve organizations’ maturity. It has three elements; certification, tools, and

services. “OPM3 ProductSuite is a combination of advanced tools that achieve the

51
Standard’s original intention of assessing organizations in terms of the capabilities and

outcomes that are in the best practice buckets.” (Schlichter J., 2009).

The OPM3 ProductSuite consists of 488 Best Practices (BPs) and 412 of them are

pertained to the Standardization, Measurement, Control, and Continuous Improvement of

the (Project, Program, and Portfolio) Management Processes. Each domain has its specific

number of processes (42, 47, 13) respectively. And each process requires (15) Capability-

Outcomes, in which all together producing (1,530) Capability-Outcome statement as in

Figure 4.

Figure 4. OPM3 ProductSuite and Capability-Outcome Statements

52
3.11 OPM3 Improvement Cycle

For an organization to apply the OPM3 standard, it is very important to understand

the fundamental steps of OPM3 assessment and improvement stages. The PMI has

indicated that the main steps for assessment and improvement are five steps;

1) Prepare for Assessment,

2) Perform Assessment,

3) Plan for Improvements,

4) Implement Improvements, and

5) Repeat the Process.

53
 4. KURDISTAN REGION

MINISTRY OF CONSTRUCTION AND HOUSING

4.1 Introduction

The Ministry of Construction and Housing (MOCAH) is one of the significant and

vital ministries within the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG). It has evolved from

the combination of two previous ministries established in 1992: Ministry of

Reconstruction and Development and Ministry of Work and Housing, and was unified in
3
2004 as the (Ministry of Construction and Housing).

Because of the destruction and harmful policies of the previous Iraqi regimes, the

condition of Kurdistan Region’s infrastructure was at the lowest level. More than 4,500

towns, districts, and villages were destroyed by Saddam Hossain regime who arrested and

killed most of the people in what was so-called “Anfal Campaigns”, Halabja chemical

bombing, and other genocide campaigns across Kurdistan. These destruction policies left

thousands of displaced people with no houses, schools, hospitals, and other necessary

infrastructure and facilities, such as; water supply, sewerage, and roads and bridges.

Therefore, the task of MOCHA was very difficult in its first stages of emergence in 2004

to answer the enormous urgent requirements which led to unsatisfied results due to lack

of strategy, insufficient budget, and poor quality control of the projects.

3
Kurdistan Regional Government, Ministry of Construction and Housing-KRG, http://www.krg-
mocah.net/awapages.php?pageID=7
54
4.2 Kurdistan Region and Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) Background

The word “Kurdistan” literally means the “Land” of the “Kurds”. Kurdistan

Region or Southern Kurdistan, is the southern part of a great Kurdistan which consists of

three other parts in Iran to the east, Syria to the west, and Iraq in the south. The great

Kurdistan was divided into four main parts after the Sykes–Picot Agreement was assigned

between the United Kingdom and France during the World War One in May 1916.

Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) is the local government of the Kurdistan

Region of Iraq. It has been established after 1991 and has been recognized by Iraqi

Government after 2003 as the local government of the Kurdistan Region.

The Kurdistan Region consists of the cities of Erbil (the Capital of Kurdistan

Region), Kirkuk, Sulaimani, Dohuk, and Halabja. However, Kirkuk city and may other

parts (known as disputed areas), are still out of the KRG’s authority and it is

administratively related to the central government of Iraq, which creates several problems

between KRG and Iraqi government. Some other information about Kurdistan Region can

be summarized as follows:

- Area: Approximately 50,000 Km2 (including Kirkuk and other parts).

- Population: 8.35 million (2013).

- Official Language: Kurdish and Arabic.

- Natural Resources: Petroleum, natural gas, phosphates, sulphur, and agriculture.

- Political Structure: Parliamentary Democracy, Presidency, and Council of

Ministries (KRG).

55
 - Kurdistan Region map, Kurdistan Flag and Kurdistan Regional Government Arm
are shown in Figure 5, and more information can be found at the official website
of KRG “http://www.krg.org/?l=12”

Figure 5. Figure. Kurdistan Flag, KRG Arm, and Kurdistan Region Map 4

4
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Atlas_of_Iraqi_Kurdistan#/media/File:Autonomous_Region_Kurdistan_en.png
56
4.3 The Ministry of Construction and Housing (MOCAH)

4.3.1 Introduction

As one of the vital and significant ministries in the Kurdistan Regional

Government, the Ministry of Construction and Housing (MOCAH) has been established

after 1992.

The physical destruction and harmful policies of Iraqi regimes undermined the

infrastructure in the Kurdistan Region. More than 4,500 villages were destroyed by

Saddam Hussein regime including thousands of schools, clinic centers, roads, and all other

facilities. Thousands of Kurdish people were killed in several genocide campaigns and

thousands were displaced to live in coercive residential complexes under lower level of

fundamental services.

After 1992, MOCAH’s first and urgent task was to rehabilitate the displaced

families and reconstruct of thousands of unit houses, schools, and health centers and

renovate and construct hundreds of miles of roads with number of bridges. The economic

situation in Kurdistan Region was insufficient to cover all the demands and, thereby to

achieve MOCAH strategic goals in terms of high quality projects.

After the collapse of Iraqi regime in 2003, MOCAH was tasked to answer the

enormous urgent infrastructure development and construction requirements. MOCAH

achieved many considerable goals concerning the construction and highway projects

compared with the decades before 2003. Thousands of unit houses, schools, hospitals,

clinic centers, and governmental buildings and facilities were built. Hundreds miles of

different types of roads and highways were constructed and number of bridges were
57
established. MOCAH, however, is challenged by organizational and project management

issues including:

- Lack of organizational and project strategies,

- Insufficient budget, and

- Poor quality controls.

The current structure and operational procedures of MOCAH is not optimal to

successfully deliver current and future infrastructure needs of the Kurdistan Region.

Therefore, the main objective of this research is to incorporate OPM3 standards and

practices as a roadmap to enhance MOCAH organizational and project performance by:

- The assessment of MOCAH organizational project management processes

and its current organizational project management maturity status, then

- Using the results of the assessment to plan for more improvement, which

in turn, delivers projects successfully, predictably, and reliably.

4.3.2 MOCAH’s Vision, Mission, and Strategic Plan

Based on the interview conducted by The Report Company with Mr. Kamaran

Ahmed, the former minister of MOCAH-KRG, after 2010, MOCAH has passed the

primary stages of its evolution (from 2003 to 2010) and started to set its vision, mission,

and strategic plan to step forward to act more effectively and improve its performance as

well. The ministry has two major activities:

- Construction of roads, highways and bridges, and

58
 - Construction of unit houses and public buildings.

4.3.2.1 MOCAH Vision

Safe Roads and High Quality Buildings.

4.3.2.2 MOCAH Mission

- Construction of two-way roads, express ways, bridges, and tunnels,

- Construction of modern high quality building and services, and

- Construction of best unit houses for Kurdistan Region civilians.

4.3.2.3 MOCAH Strategic Plan

The MOCAH started to set its strategic plan for twenty years to construct advanced

highways and build high quality unit houses for the residence throughout the Kurdistan

Region. According to MOCAH’s master plan, the ministry emphasis will be on two main

activities:

- Construction of (5,000) five thousands unit houses of estimated budget of

$ 250 million each year, and

- Construction of advanced highways, tool roads, bridges, and tunnels

throughout Kurdistan Region of around $ 1 billion each year.

Table 5 shows a summary of MOCAH plan for proposed roads for 2015-2030

59
 Table 5. Planned Roads Projects (2015-2030)
Planned Budget
No of Length Completion Governorate
Project Intervention $US
Lanes Km Year Name
ID Million

- Single,
- Dual 2 - Erbil,
R (01-
Lanes, New Roads 2015-2030 - Sulaimani,
105) and and
- Dual 3 - Dohuk
Lanes

Total 2406.7 8927.6

As a total length roads proposed 2,406.7 Km with an estimated total cost of

approximately $US 9 billion are planned by MOCAH to be constructed starting from 2015

and ending in 2030. (Appendix B).

Regarding the construction of bridges, Table 6 shows a summary of proposed

bridges planned by MOCAH for 2015-2030. (Appendix C).

60
 Table 6. Proposed Bridges (2015-2030)
Crossing
Proposed Proposed Completion
Dam River Governorate Name
Bridge ID Bridge Name Year
Width ml

- Bekhma,
- Gomaspan
Bridge Erbil, Sulaimani, and
B(01-21) - TaqTaq, 20-75 205-230
B01- B21 - Khewata, Dohuk
and
- Mandawa

4.3.3 MOCAH Organizational Breakdown Structure (OBS)

Based on the organizational breakdown structure (OBS) of MOCAH, it can be

considered as a complex and hierarchical organization by which the three main OPM3

domains (Projects, Programs, and Portfolios) can be recognized within the ministry’s

structure. Figure 6 MOCAH OBS 1, and Figure 7 MAOCAH OBS 2 illustrate the

construct of MOCAH’s organizational structure.

61
 From figures 6 and 7, the hierarchy of MOCAH can be summarized as follows:

1. His Excellency, the Minister,

2. Two deputy ministers:

- Deputy 1 for Roads and Bridges,

- Deputy 2 for Housing and Public Buildings.

3. Consultant Engineers,

4. Five Director Generals (DG’s):

- DG of Roads and Housing - Erbil City,

- DG of Roads and Housing - Sulaimani City,

- DG of Roads and Housing - Dohuk City,

- DG of Administration and Finance, and

- DG of Technician.

62
Figure 6. MOCAH OBS 1

63
Figure 7. MOCAH OBS 2

64
4.3.4 MOCAH Size (Employees Number)

From the number of employees in MOCAH, it can be determined as a big-size

organization. Table 7 illustrates the total number and different positions of MOCAH’s

employees.

Table 7. Number and Positions of MOCAH's Employees

Total
# Description
No.

1- Total number of employees with master, high diploma and bachelor degrees in general
1692

2- Total number of engineers in all professions (civil, mechanical, electricity, agriculture,

architecture, roads, chemical, soil, nuclear, irrigation and so on) with master, high 1162

diploma and bachelor degree

3- Total number of road, civil and construction engineers with master, high diploma and
689
bachelor degree

4- Total number of road, civil and construction engineers in Erbil governorate with master,
263
high diploma and bachelor degree

5- Total number of road, civil and construction engineers in Sulaimani governorate with
293
master, high diploma and bachelor degree

6- Total number of road, civil and construction engineers in Dohuk governorate with
133
master, high diploma and bachelor degree

65
4.4 SWOT Analysis and MOCAH

4.4.1 SWOT Analysis

SWOT Analysis is an effective approach which can be used to assess the Strengths,

Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats of any organization to measure its current

situations and provide awareness to the organization’s owner to achieve the organizational

objectives. Figure 8 shows the main elements of the approach by which an analyst can

recognize the strength and weaknesses as internal factors (within the organization) and the

opportunities and threats as external factors (environmental factors). In addition, the

strengths and opportunities are considered as positive factors, while the weaknesses and

threats as negative factors.

66
 Figure 8. SWOT Analysis Elements
(Adapted from Business model. Strategy diagram. Business strategy chart. SWOT template)

4.4.2 MOCAH Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats

The main objective to conduct the SWOT analysis for MOCAH is to provide a

general background of the organization in terms of its strengths, weaknesses,

opportunities, and threats.

In order to conduct the SWOT analysis to determine MOCAH’s strengths,

weaknesses, opportunities, and threats, it is essential to have the fundamental data and

information regarding the internal factors within the organization, and external factors,

environmental factors. The data was collected from different resources.

67
 The main important internal data was collected from senior managers, senior

engineers, administration departments, information technology (IT) department, the

official website of MOCAH, and the documented interview with the former minister of

MOACH. For example, the Vison, Mission, Strategic Plan, MOCAH OBS, Roads and

Bridges projects planned for 2015-2030, number of employees,….etc. , were collected via

emails with the Deputy Minister (Agreen A. Aziz), and the DG of Technique affairs and

planning (Zana Mustafa Uzeri), the senior engineer (Sanaw Faridon Mohammed) and

other senior engineers and managers from different departments within MOCAH, and the

documented interview of “The Report Company with the former minister of MOCAH”.

The external data was collected from the MOCAH’s resources and from other

resources out of MOCAH, such as the information about the monitoring and assessment

of the projects. One of the most important resource for the monitoring and assessment

process is the Projects Follow-up Department-KRG Council of Ministries (Nariman

Kaksour Awla), which has a significant role to monitor and control the quality of overall

projects in Kurdistan Regional Government’s ministries and organizations, including

MOCAH.

Based on the collected data about MOCAH, the research conducted a SWOT

analysis as in the followings:

68
4.4.2.1 MOCAH Strengths

- KRG Supports: as an entity of the KRG government, MOCAH is supported by

the government by providing human resources, financial resource, technological,

and legal supports.

- Wide Relationships: with other organizations (KRG’ ministries, UN

organizations, international and local NGOs, and Universities and Scientific

institutions) that can support MOCAH in terms of communications, exchanging

information, training, conducting surveys, analysis, and researches.

- Organizational Breakdown Structure: which provides wide range of areas to be

assessed as Projects, Programs, and Portfolios Management.

- Wide range of experts and professionals: in different levels and disciplines that

might form a flexibility to manage potential changes.

4.4.2.2 MOCAH Weaknesses

- Lack of Organizational Management Practices: since MOCAH was established

recently, in 2004, it has no enough experience in the field of organizational project

management.

- Lack of Expertise in Design Process: MOCAH design departments needs more

experts in designing its projects by expert designers using advanced new

technologies and design tools and software.

- Lack of Organizational Project Management (OPM) Standards required for

assessment and improvement organization management processes.

69
- Lack of Advanced Technologies: the information Technology system of

MOCAH still needs more advancement and supports either by providing new

instruments and equipment. Furthermore, MOCAH needs to improve the (IT)

departments in all its arms, general directories, directories, and divisions with both

new electronic device (computers and processors) and IT experts.

- Lack of Heavy Machines and Equipment: the current machines and equipment

are not sufficient in terms of quality and quantity to support the process of projects

execution.

- Insufficient Budget: as a part of the Kurdistan Regional Government, MOCAH’

main budget comes from Iraqi federal government, which is unfortunately not

sufficient much times, and even it has been cut by Iraqi government recently (from

February 2014 till preparing this research). Accordingly, insufficient budget

severely impacts MOCAH’s organizational capabilities to step forward for more

improvements.

- Lack of Research and Development (R&D) Department: despite the existence

of number of senior engineers with high education in different engineering

disciplines within MOCAH and from Kurdistan Region’s universities and

academic institutes, there is no specific department by which necessary researches

can be conducted continuously for continuous development.

- Bureaucracy and Routine: in the daily transactions among MOCAH

stakeholders and other government organizations. The long documentation

processes conducted by traditional ways (papers, routines, and reworks) against

70
 electronic means hinder the daily transactions, exchanging information, following

up, and decision making processes in a rate that cause more delays and thereby

delay damages.

- Lack of Motivation: provided by MOCAH to its staff and low salaries for the

senior managers and experts compared to private sectors and international

organizations in the region. For instance, the average annual base salary for a civil

engineer employed in MOCAH is about $12,500 while in Turkey is around

$34,700. 5

4.4.2.3 MOCAH Opportunities

- KRG Investment in Oil and Gas Sector: the KRG started to explore and trade in

oil and gas sector which opens doors to an independent economy from central

government of Iraq which always creates unstable economic situation in Kurdistan

Region.

- Training and Scholarships: provided by the KRG to tens of MOCAH employees

to study abroad in advanced universities in USA, Europe, Australia, Canada,

Japan, South Korea, and other countries in variety of fields , including Engineering

and Project Management.

- KRG Investment Law: which attracts more Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) with

its very flexible and supportive articles that provide international investors a wide

5
http://www.payscale.com/research/TR/Country=Turkey/Salary
71
 range of benefits in many sectors in Kurdistan Region, which in turn, can provide

MOCAH to establish new relationships with international organizations that can

help MOCAH to improve its strategies and organizational objectives. 6

- MOCAH Master Plan: will provide the ministry with more opportunities to

establish new projects through the fifteen years planned from 2015 to 2030, which

includes thousands of mile of roads and highways with number of bridges overall

Kurdistan Region, as explained in previous sections.

4.4.2.4 MOCAH Threats

- Political Conditions: the unstable political situations in the region adds more

threats against economic stability of KRG which in turn affect negatively on

MOCAH’s activities and processes, especially after the terror attacks by what is

called Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS). The war with ISIS enforced millions

of people in Iraq and Syria to leave their origin areas and most of them fled to the

Kurdistan Region as the safest area in the region. More than two millions of

refugees were settled in Kurdistan Region which added more pressure on the KRG

including MOCAH. The consequences were to add more demands of MOCAH’s

tasks to provide emergency projects and facilities to the huge number of refugees.

6
The Official Website of the Kurdistan Board of Investment, http://www.kurdistaninvestment.org/
72
 Furthermore, the relationship with Iraqi government was not stable and not

supportive to support KRG’s policies including MOCAH’s polices regarding the

construction activities.

- Poor Communication and Coordination: among MOCAH and other KRG’s

entities. Although MOCAH has a wide relationships with other KRG’

organizations, UN’s agencies, and International and local NGO’s, the

communication and coordination are still not sufficient, which adds potential risk

of delays, inconsistency between MOCAH plans and KRG’s and other

organizations’ plans and activities that need to be done parallel to MOCAH’s

projects.

- High Rate of Salaries Competition: high rate of salaries provided by local and

international organizations to same employees who have the positions and

responsibilities (as mentioned in weaknesses above), by which attracts MOCAH

experts, senior engineers and managers to work out of MOCAH. Accordingly will

increase the potential lack of skilled and professional management teams within

MOCAH’s organizational management system.

- Poor Monitoring and Control system: from the data provided by the expert

engineer, Nariman Kakasur Awla from the Project Follow-up Department, KRG,

the monitoring and control process for MOCAH process is poor and not effective

to cover all the projects executed / under execution due to number of reasons, as

follows:

73
• Most of the projects start late and therefore stay behind the planned

completion date which leads to delay damages and cost overrun due to

poor control process through project stages.

• Ineffective respond to monitoring reports in which monitoring teams

explain the problems in project stages to be discussed and solved at time.

• High rate of change orders during the execution stage of the projects,

which leads to more delays and cost overrun.

• Poor communication and coordination between executive teams and

follow up/ monitoring teams which cause inconsistency and conflicts

between projects’ parties.

• Lack of advance quality controls labs to control the quality of materials.

• Lack of experience in bidding projects and contracting processes which

cause potential risks of conflicts between the MOCAH, as the Owner, and

the contractors.

74
 5. INCORPORATE OPM3 INTO MOCAH

5.1 Introduction

MOCAH as a complex, large, and hierarchical organization with the challenges

and tasks as discussed in section 4, needs to be assessed and continuously improved to

increase its organizational maturity in terms of the domains of Project, Program, and

Portfolio management. The research explains how to incorporate the OPM3 concepts,

elements, and components to support MOCAH to assess its current organizational project

management maturity and help Program/Project Management Office (PMO) of MOCAH

to develop an effective progress improvement path that can help the leaderships and senior

managers within MOCAH to identify the Best Practices with its constituent Capabilities

to push the organization for future improvements.

Section 4 provided an understanding of MOCAH’s vision, mission, strategic plans,

MOCAH’s organizational breakdown structure (OBS), and MOCAH’s SWOT analysis to

determine MOCAH’s current Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and potential Threats

as (general background) of MOCAH.

Section 3 provided details about OPM3 components concerning its elements

(Knowledge, Assessment, and Improvement), Domains (Projects, Programs, and

Portfolios), Best Practices (BPs), Capabilities, Outcomes, Key Performance Indicators

(KPIs), Improvement Stages (Standardize, Measure, Control, and continuously

Improvement-SMCI), and Organizational Enablers (OEs-Structural, Cultural,

Technological, and Human-Resource).

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 MOCAH’s activities are guided by a cross-functional board of directors consists

of two deputy ministers, five general directors, several consultants and advisors. The board

of directors has regular monthly meeting to direct the ministry activities and set the

strategic plan and identify the main organizational objectives. While the general directors

supervise the implementation of the strategies by directing the project management

processes. The MOCAH’s OBS was illustrated in the previous section in detail.

A conceptual model of MOCAH’s OBS in relation to the OPM3’ Domains

(Projects, Programs, and Portfolio) assists the analysis. Figure 9 illustrates how MOCAH’s

OBS can be represented in terms of the domains of Projects, programs, and Portfolios.

Corporate
Minister
(KRG Representative)

Portfolio Deputy 1 Board of Deputy 2

Consultants

G.D.
G.D. G.D. G.D. G.D.
Programs Admin &
Erbil Dohuk Sulaimani Technique
Finance

Projects Departments Departments Departments Departments Departments

Figure 9. Conceptual MOCAH's OBS in Terms of (PPP) Management Domains

(Adapted from PMI OPM3, 2013)

76
5.2 OPM3 Process Overview

According to the OPM Experts LLC assessor, the assessment emphasized

analyzing the project management processes illustrated in which are detailed in the forms

of Best Practices shown in Table 8. Each Best Practice consists of separate Capabilities

with its constituents of Outcomes and Key Performance Indicators (KIPs).

Table 8. Project Management Processes

Key Structures and Processes Applicable to Project Management

Governing Bodies and Policies Risk Response Planning

Initiation Procurement Planning
Project Plan Development Solicitation Planning
Scope Planning Project Plan Execution
Scope Definition Quality Assurance
Activity Definition Project Team Development
Activity Sequencing Information Distribution
Activity Duration Estimating Project Solicitation
Schedule Development Project Source Selection
Resource Planning Contract Administration
Cost Estimating Performance Reporting
Cost Budgeting Integrated Change Control
Risk Management Planning Scope Verification
Quality Planning Scope Change Control
Organizational Planning Schedule Control
Staff Acquisition Cost Control
Communications Planning Quality Control
Qualitative Risk Analysis Risk Monitoring and Control
Quantitative Risk Analysis Contract Closeout
Administrative Closure

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5.3 OPM3 Assessment Steps

As discussed previously, PMI OPM3 (2008) illustrated that there are five main

steps to conduct the OPM3 assessment: (prepare for assessment, perform assessment, plan

for improvement, implement improvement, and repeat the process):

5.3.1 Step One: Prepare for Assessment

The first step for an organization in the assessment process is to prepare for

assessing its current organizational project management maturity in relation to OPM3

model. This step involves two levels of understanding:

A. Understanding the organizational strategic objectives and the degree of maturity

needed to execute these strategies,

B. Understanding the components of OPM3 and how to use them to attain the

desired level of the organization’s maturity within the specified scope of the

assessment process.

It is significant to prepare the organization for the assessment process by justifying

the areas of the organization to be included in the assessment process, identifying the

stakeholders to be engaged in the process, and determine the techniques and tools

necessary to conduct the interviews at a specified time.

Accordingly, the assessment scope of MOCAH was limited to an evaluation of the

Project Management Domain and excluded the Programs and Portfolios Domains. And

within the project management domain, the assessment only included the Standardization

level and excluded the Measurement, Control, and Improvement levels.

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 The Standardization level emphasizes on the following elements:

- Process Ownership (Process Governance)

- Documented Processes (Methodology)

- Communication to Necessary Stakeholders (Training)

- Consistent Implementation of Work Methods (Compliance)

5.3.2 Step Two: Perform Assessment

In this step, the research attempts to develop a framework to assess MOCAH’s

degree of maturity of organizational project management. The main phases of this step

are:

A. Review of which OPM3’s Best Practices are and are not demonstrated

(currently) by MOCAH, which cannot be determined by conducting the Self-

Assessment Mechanism (SAM) but can be determined by OPM3 ProductSuite.

The assessor report indicated that there were no artifacts provided by MOCAH

due to the lack of the Standardization of the project management processes.

B. Conducting interviews with stakeholders to develop a list of Best Practices that

are not currently demonstrated by the organization should be considered as

“target Best Practice” (PMI OPM3, 2008). The stakeholder’s job titles were

identified as shown in Table 9. Identifying job classifications is significant to

know where to plan for improvement in the next step of the OPM3

Improvement Cycle.

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 Table 9. MOCAH's Stakeholders
No. Job Titles

1 Senior Engineer - General Directorate of Roads and Bridges

2 Senior Engineer - Director of Road Protection and Maintenance

3 Consultant Engineer - General Directorate of Roads and Bridges

4 Senior Project Manager - General Directorate of Roads and Bridges

5 Project Manager - Ministry of construction and Housing

6 Project Manager - General Directorate of Roads and Bridges

7 Project Manager - Ministry of construction and Housing

8 Laboratory Manager - Directorate of Laboratory

9 Senior Manager - Directorate of Laboratory

10 Project Manager - Director of Road Protection and Maintenance

11 Senior Project - Directorate of Roads and Bridges

12 Project Manager - Director of Road Protection and Maintenance

13 Project Manager - Director of Road Protection and Maintenance

According to OPM assessor report, the SAM tests no Capability Statements and

the results of its question about many processes are only by single answer Yes/No, which

make the results ineffective to make the right decisions. However, the processes applied

the SAM then ProductSuite for good measure.

Furthermore, the assessor report illustrated that the results of the SAM applied to

MOCAH were 100% for the assessment of the standardization of all project management

80
processes. In other words, MOCAH interpreted the SAM questions in a way that was

confusing and led the responder(s) to answer optimistically where the opposite was

appropriate. When the ProductSuite assessment questions applied, MOCAH scored 0%

against the Capabilities Statements for the standardization of project management

processes, as in Appendix A. Thus, these two different results for the same processes

revealed that SAM is not appropriate and ProdcutSuite should be applied instead

(Schlichter J. report). The OPM3 expert noted that this point is the most important of any

for the wider audience of the project management profession.

Regarding the ProductSuite application, the score summary of the assessment

process was provided by the OPM assessor and it can be illustrated as in Table 10 and the

raw data can be found in Appendix A.

Table 10. Summary of the Assessment Scores

Awarded Score
Best Practice Category Available Points
Points (%)

1.1 Standardization of Project

504 126 25%
Management Processes
1.2 Organizational Enablers 684 258 38%

Total 1188 384 32%

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 Table 10 shows that the MOCAH has awarded 126 points of 504 points available,

which gives a score of 25% for Standardization of project management processes, and

258 points of 684 points available, which gives a score of 38% for Organizational

Enablers. As the total score, MOCAH has awarded 384 points of 1118 points available,

which gives total score of 32%.

5.3.3 Step Three: Plan for Improvements

Based on the two assessment steps, MOCAH may be able to provide an effective

plan for potential organizational improvements. The results of the assessment steps should

be documented and analyzed to (recognize and prioritize) the desired/successful

Outcomes, that have not been observed by MOCAH.

The prioritizing of Capabilities with its constituent successful Outcomes, can be

achieved from a review of the (Interrelationships and Dependencies) between the Best

Practices, Capabilities, Outcomes, and Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) explained in

previous sections of this research.

This will support MOCAH to search for the Capabilities that are associated with

these desired successful Outcomes and a top priority in MOCAH’s improvements plan.

Table 11 documents that MOCAH’s assessment process was limited to the

Standardization level with a score of only 25% of the process improvements stages and

the other stages (Measurement, Control, and Improvements) were not applicable for the

scope of this research.

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 Table 11. Score Summary for Process Maturity and Organizational Enablers

Organizational Enablers
Stage Process Maturity Score
Score
Standardize 25%
Measure NA 38%
Control NA
Improve NA

Therefore, there are significant and large areas remain to be addressed by

MOCAH’s leaderships to obtain reliable and constant implementation of required

approaches in project management processes recommended by the report.

However, a score of 25% refers to the existence of a governing body as board of

directors within MOCAH, as explained in MOCAH’s OBS in previous sections of this

research. This can be considered as a strength point by which MOCAH can enhance its

project management standardization through characterizing polices, verifying and

recording processes, and evaluating compliance which need to be undertaken by the board

of directors in the future.

Accordingly, the report recommends MOCAH to dedicate more efforts and

allocate more resources to have a clear understanding of identifying its polices to

determine and document required processes and train the stakeholders to be familiar and

capable to implement the project management processes based on systematic and

institutionalized polices and processes within MOCAH.

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 Table 11 also indicates that the score summary for the Organizational Enablers

(OEs) within MOCAH was 38% which is summarized from the raw data provided in detail

in Appendix A. The raw data shows that Best Practices categorized for the OEs were

focusing on:

- Organizational PM Policy & Vision

- Strategic Alignment

- Resource Allocation

- Management Systems

- Sponsorship

- Organizational Structures

- Competency Management

- Individual Performance Appraisals

- Project Management Training

- Project Management Communities

- Project Management Practices

- Methodology

- Project Management Techniques

5.3.4 Step Four: Implement Improvements

After completing “Step Three” above and the improvement plan has been

established, MOCAH could implement the plan continuously. At this point it is important

to understand that the changes that the organization makes are themselves projects to be
84
planned and allocate necessary resources for implementing them successfully. The

organization should approach the planning and implementation of desired changes as

projects (PMI OPM3, 2008). This is true because the organization’s objectives can be

achieved successfully through delivering successful projects, and projects are defined as

successful projects by its successful/desired Outcomes. Accordingly, MOCAH should

start its assessment, and thereby, implement the improvements plan within its Projects

Domain, and then step forward to support its Programs and Portfolios Domains.

Through the process of the implementation of improvements plan MOCAH may

face many challenges that can create potential (Resistance to Change). Among these

factors; the organizational structure, leaderships, traditional management process,

financial, policies, cultural, technological, and human-resources factors. Therefore,

MOCAH should consider that the implementation of improvements (changes) will need

step-by-step change management processes that can support MOCAH’s implementation

of OPM capabilities to ensure the correct process of the improvements implementation.

MOCAH should be able to create a (Readiness-to-Change) environment across its

domains of projects, programs, and portfolios management, which means continuously

standardize, measure, and control the process of improvements and control any potential

inconsistency between the desired level of organizational maturity and the actual

outcomes of the process. Consequently, the process may provide less progress on the

improvement path at the beginning of the process, which is possible for the first stages.

MOCAH, however, should not stop implementing the process and should repeat the steps

of improvement provided by OPM3 Improvement Cycle.

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5.3.5 Step Five: Repeat the Process

After the implementation of the four steps explained above, MOCAH may have

clearer idea about its current organization maturity state and the results may lead the

decision makers to decide whether to continue on the same improvement plan or to modify

it. The modification of improvement plan may needs more effective assessment steps to

recognize the Capabilities that are still not observed by MOCAH through the first attempts

to apply the OPM3 improvement cycle. Repeatedly implementing the assessment

processes will enhance MOCAH’s capability to recognize its weaknesses and gaps in

terms of OPM and realize the Best Practices that are existent and what are not. Then it

supports the stakeholders including project managers to implement the OPM processes in

a systematic manner which lead to deliver the projects successfully.

5.4 Summary and Findings

To apply the OPM3 standard to assess the OPMM of MOCAH, this research

conducted an analysis of the OPM assessment conducted by OPM Experts LLC. The

processes included the application of both SAM and ProductSuite mechanisms. The

necessary data was collected from varied resources within the MOCAH and from other

KRG’s resources. After the data was collected, the OPM assessor analyzed it and reported

the results to be studied by the MOCAH’s leaderships in order to take necessary actions

per the recommendations provided by the report. The scope of the assessment was limited

to the Project Management Domain and the Standardization level of the process

improvement stage. The summary of the results showed that the score of the project

86
management processes at the standardization level was 25 percent, the score of the OEs

was 38 percent, and the total score was 32 percent, as explained in previous sections of

this research.

From the score results, this research documents that MOCAH should focus on

completing the agenda of Standardization of Project Management and the agenda of

Measurement of Project Management. Then it may conduct additional research regarding

improvements in other levels of the process improvement stages and for the Programs and

Portfolios Management Domains. Furthermore, the assessor’s report provides an

important roadmap to support MOCAH for enhancing its organizational project

management performance to achieve its objectives of more consistent, reliable, and

predictable projects. The recommendations and the roadmap are explained in detail in the

following section.

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 6. CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

6.1 Introduction

In this section, conclusions, recommendations, and a Roadmap are provided. The

conclusions include a summary of the research content and the findings obtained from the

results of the report provided by the OPM assessor.

The recommendations were categorized into three categories as follows:

1. Recommendations for MOCAH’s project management processes,

2. Recommendations for the Standardization of project management domain,

3. Recommendations for the Organizational Enablers (OEs).

Finally, the roadmap consists of five phases to implement specified

recommendations under specific Organizational Enablers category.

6.2 Conclusions

6.2.1 Summary

As one of the vital ministries within Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG), since

its establishment in 2004, MOCAH was tasked to face many challenges due to the

enormous urgent infrastructure development and construction requirements. The physical

destruction and harmful policies of Iraqi governments undermined the infrastructure in

Kurdistan Region.

The research problem identified that MOCAH is challenged by organizational and

project management issues including: Lack of organizational and project strategies,

88
insufficient budget, and poor quality controls. Due to the lack of effective assessment and

organizational project management performance, the current structure and operational

procedures of MOCAH is not optimal to successfully deliver current and future

infrastructure needs of the Kurdistan Region.

The main objective of this research was to incorporate the OPM3 standard to

support MOCAH’s leaderships with clear understanding of MOCAH’s current status in

terms of organizational project management capabilities and to identify the strengths and

weaknesses in the areas that need more attention. Accordingly, to provide a well-

structured roadmap as an effective basis for decision making and prioritizing of the best

practice, and thereby select and implement the right projects in the way.

To obtain the research objective, the research provided a literature review of the

fundamental concepts of OPM, PMO, Maturity Concepts, OPMM, maturity models,

OPM3 examples and case studies, OPM3 concepts and other related materials to support

MOCAH with further understanding of OPM process knowledge and what OPM3

standard is and how to utilize it.

Furthermore, the research included the background of the organizational

environment as MOCAH within KRG, including a brief of Kurdistan Region and

Kurdistan Regional Government background. In addition, the research provided a

comprehensive overview of MOCAH by using SWOT Analysis to analyze the general

status of MOCAH determining the strengths, weaknesses, threats, and opportunities. The

main objective of SWOT analysis was to illustrate the internal and external factors that

89
directly and/or indirectly impact on MOCAH’s performance in general context of OPM

processes.

The scope of the research was limited to Project Management Domain and the

Standardization level of the process improvement stages. Therefore, the domains of

Programs and Portfolios Management were excluded and the other stages of the process

improvement (Measurement, Control, and Improvement) were not applied in the

assessment process in this research. Accordingly, more researches and studies are

recommended and for that, a roadmap was established.

The assessment process was conducted under the sponsorship of His Excellency

the Minister of MOCAH. John Schlichter, a founder and leader at OPM Experts LLC, was

the OPM assessor who conducted the assessment process with collaboration and

participation of MOCAH stakeholders. The stakeholders included the Deputy Minister,

Director Generals (DGs), Minister’s Advisor, and Senior Engineers/Managers from

different departments within MOCAH.

The assessor prepared a comprehensive report included the process of

organizational project management maturity assessment for MOCAH. The report

provided the scope of the assessment process, the methodology, SAM and ProductSuite

mechanisms applied for the assessment process, analyzing the data collected, and

reporting the results to provide substantial recommendations and establish the roadmap

for more prospective improvement.

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6.2.2 Findings

The results of the assessment process showed that the score of the Standardization

level of process improvement stages, within the Project Management Domain, was 25%,

the score of the Organizational Enablers (OEs) was 38%, and the total score for MOCAH

was 32%. More information about the assessment results can be found in Appendix A.

These results were limited to the Standardization level and Project Management Domain,

which means MOCAH has to dedicate more efforts to obtain higher level of maturity of

process improvements stages and in Programs and Portfolios Management Domains.

In general, the results of the assessment process indicate that MOCAH has a low

level of maturity in practicing the organizational project management knowledge and

processes accordingly, the OPM assessor has provided important recommendations and

developed a roadmap to help MOCAH’s leaderships to identify the available Best

Practices to be enhanced, and distinguish the necessary areas to be addressed for further

improvements in the future. The recommendations and the roadmap are explained in the

following sections.

6.3 Research Significance and Contributions

The findings of the research and the recommendations have significant

contributions to MOCAH as follows:

- The assessment OPM3 process provides MOCAH an understanding of the

necessity of establishing an effective project management office (PMO) and the

standards of project management performance and practices.

91
 - The assessment results will help MOCAH to identify the gap between its strategy

and successful projects.

- The findings illustrate the current status of MOCAH in terms of organizational

project management maturity in project management domain.

- The results can be used as initial framework for conducting the assessment

process in program and portfolio management domains in the future.

6.4 Recommendations

The recommendations are provided based on the results and findings of the

research as follows:

6.4.1 Recommendations for MOCAH’s Project Management Processes

According to the research findings, MOCAH needs more to do in order to enhance

its OPM performance utilizing global standards and metrics, such the well-known

standards of the Project Management Institute (PMI); A Guide to The Project Management

Body of Knowledge Guide (PMBOK Guide).

The assessment results shows that MOCAH has not acquired full understanding of

knowledge of project management processes. Therefore, it is strongly recommended that

MOCAH’s leaderships should undertake imperative steps to identify the list of the project

management processes explained by the (PMI PMBOK Guide), as explained in Appendix

A, and take necessary actions to train project managers, document control the inputs, and

92
document the outcomes. This is significant for MOCAH to have a clear understanding of

the fundamental concepts of PM knowledge, skills, tools, and techniques to be applied

systematically through the management process groups; Initiating, Planning, Executing,

Monitoring and Controlling, and Closing.

6.4.2 Recommendations for the Standardization of Project Management Domain

The scope of the research was limited to the Standardization of project

management domain. As such, the analysis focused on the elements of: documented

processes, process ownership, training, and compliance policy. For this part of the process,

the result of the assessment process provided general recommendations regarding the

standardization as follows:

- The main elements of standardization including project managers training, process

documentation, polices governing process, and compliance policy processes,

should be considered by MOCAH’s leaderships as critical requirements.

Therefore, it is recommended that MOCAH should involve a PMI subject matter

expert to conduct the training processes include these standardization elements.

The PMI expert involvement supports MOCAH’s leaderships to identify the

crucial characteristics for MOCAH to be determined for each process in a manner

that appropriate and aligned with MOCAH’s strategies.

- It is recommended that MOCAH’s leaderships should procure PMI compliant

templates for PM artifacts, particularly the BOT International’s Process-On-

Demand (POD) detailed in PMI PMBOK Guide.

93
 - MOCAH should document its performed project management processes in terms

of inputs, tools and techniques, and outputs in order to characterize the variations

of its projects and distribute these documents to share it on a local communication

network.

- The engagement of a PMI expert is recommended to support MOCAH’s

leaderships with development of a metrics program which encourage MOCAH to

better perform its project management practices emphasizing on relevant clients

of these practices. This is significant for MOCAH to achieve the Control level of

maturity in OPM3.

- Finally, MOCAH should conduct a follow-up assessment after achieved

improvements to exhibit advancement and develop a framework for following

steps.

6.4.3 Recommendations for the Organizational Enablers (OEs)

The PMI OPM3 (2013) defined the OEs as structural, cultural, technological and

human resource practices that can be leveraged to support and sustain the implementation

of Best Practices in projects, programs, and portfolios. As described in section 3 of this

research, the PMI OPM3, 2013 categorizes the OEs best practices into several varied

groups. Based on the findings of the assessment processes, the research recommended

MOCAH for the OEs Best Practices groups as in Table 12.

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 Table 12. OEs Recommendations

OEs
Recommendations
Best Practice Category
Sponsorship Eliminate the obstacles to project management processes and share these
process amongst peers and clients.
Organizational Structures Further analysis of MOCAH’s organization structure for better support
organizational objectives.
Benchmarking Compare with similar organizations to recognize reliable best practice
metrics and plan for continuous improvements for these metrics.
Strategic Alignment Assign responsibility and accountability of a designed business change
management program to suitable right people.

OPM Policy and Vision Establish OPM policy, set clear vision for MOCAH, train project
managers to acquire OPM knowledge, and share the organization goals.

Management Systems Characterize MOCAH’s Project, Program, and Portfolio Management

Framework.
OPM Methodology Document the organizational project management methodology that fulfill
MOCAH’s needs.

Project Success Criteria Arise awareness of the success criteria for projects among MOCAH’s
project managers.
Project Management Integrate captured data from industry with MOCAH’s planning models to
Techniques incorporate project management tools, techniques, measurements, and
consistent estimating processes that should be provided to MOCAH’s
stakeholders and managers.
Resource Allocation and Assign resources based on necessary activities and training required for
Competency Management project management processes to improve individual skills and then assess
MOCAH managers’ competency regarding the areas of management,
leadership, and communication.
Project Management Conduct and promote training to enhance project management policies and
Training performance for MOCAH’s employees according to well-defined
programs that match each individual’s role in the related projects.

Project Management Distinguish the program manager role, emphasizing on MOCAH’s

Practices organization interests and compliance of program managers with
responsibilities and concession for their relationships and activities related
to their programs.
OPM Communities MOCAH’s PMO should encourage its project managers to join external
PM teams to develop their skills and strength internal practices within
MOCAH.

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 Table 12. Cont’d

OEs
Recommendations
Best Practice Category

Knowledge Management MOCAH’s PMO should document lessons learned the PMIS requirements
and Project Management and share it across its related departments. This will support the PMO to
Information Systems analyze and document the stakeholders’ needs for knowledge management
(PMIS) and PMIS and assess their effectiveness after using it in MOCAH’s
projects.
Project Management Describe and assemble a standard set of metrics from entire projects. These
Metrics metrics includes clients’ satisfaction and quality metrics which MOCAH
should determine required costs and efforts compared with the benefits
from collecting these metrics.

6.5 Roadmap

Based on (PMI OPM3, 2013), the completed and revised assessment and

improvement work can be documented by the improvement roadmap. After completing

the improvement processes of MOCAH, the organization’s location on the continuum of

OPM maturity against the Best Practices of OPM3 standard was evaluated. Accordingly,

the roadmap will support MOCAH’s leadership to realize the organization’s current

maturity based on existent Best Practices and how to step forward to obtain more Best

Practices that help the organization to achieve more improvements in the future. And

thereby to enhance the linkage between the organization’s strategies and its successful

projects.

Based on the assessment report the research provided a roadmap that MOCAH’s

leaderships should take into consideration for future assessment and improvements,
96
utilizing OPM3 standard’s concepts. The roadmap includes five phases in which each

phase explains significant tasks for MOCAH to be implemented according to associated

recommendation provided for each task. The roadmap phases and its recommendations

are illustrated in Table 13.

Table 13. Roadmap

Phases Tasks Recommendations to be Implemented

Phase 1 - Establish process - OEs for Organizational Project Management Policy & Vision.
governance frame for - OEs for Strategic Alignment.
PM standardization.
Phase 2 - Distribute governance - OEs for Sponsorship
policies for PM in - OEs for Organizational Structures.
MOCAH. - OEs for Management Systems.
- OEs for Project Success Criteria.

Phase 3 - MOCAH’s PM - OEs for OPM Practices.

documentation. - OEs for OPM Methodology.
- OEs for OPM Techniques.
Phase 4 - Stakeholders training - OEs for PM Training.
for governance body, - OEs for Competency Management.
policies, and - OEs for Individual Performance Appraisals.
documentation - OEs for Resource Allocation.
processes
Phase 5 - Establish metrics for - OEs for PM Metrics.
polices and - OEs for OPM Communities.
characteristics of PM - OEs for Benchmarking.
activities. - OEs for Knowledge Management and PMIS.

97
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103
 APPENDIX A.

SCORE SUMMARY FOR PROJECT MANAGEMENT

Awarded Score
Best Practice Category Available Points
Points (%)

1.1 Process Ownership 126 126 100

1.2 Develop Project Charter 9 0 0
1.3 Identify Stakeholders 9 0 0
1.4 Develop Project Management Plan 9 0 0
1.5 Collect Requirements 9 0 0
1.6 Define Scope 9 0 0
1.7 Create WBS 9 0 0
1.8 Define Activities 9 0 0
1.9 Sequence Activities 9 0 0
1.1 Estimate Activity Resources 9 0 0
1.11 Estimate Activity Durations 9 0 0
1.12 Develop Schedule 9 0 0
1.13 Estimate Costs 9 0 0
1.14 Determine Budget 9 0 0
1.15 Plan Quality 9 0 0
1.16 Develop Human Resource Plan 9 0 0
1.17 Plan Communications 9 0 0
1.18 Plan Risk Management 9 0 0
1.19 Identify Risks 9 0 0
1.2 Perform Qualitative Risk Analysis 9 0 0
1.21 Perform Quantitative Risk Analysis 9 0 0
1.22 Plan Risk Responses 9 0 0
1.23 Plan Procurements 9 0 0
1.24 Direct & Manage Project Execution 9 0 0
1.25 Perform Quality Assurance 9 0 0
1.26 Acquire Project Team 9 0 0
1.27 Develop Project Team 9 0 0
1.28 Manage Project Team 9 0 0
1.29 Distribute Information 9 0 0

104
 APPENDIX A Cont’d

Awarded Score
Best Practice Category Available Points
Points (%)

1.31 Conduct Procurements 9 0 0

1.32 Monitor & Control Project Work 9 0 0
1.33 Perform Integrated Change Control 9 0 0
1.34 Verify Scope 9 0 0
1.35 Control Scope 9 0 0
1.36 Control Schedule 9 0 0
1.37 Control Costs 9 0 0
1.38 Perform Quality Control 9 0 0
1.39 Report Performance 9 0 0
1.4 Monitor & Control Risks 9 0 0
1.41 Administer Procurements 9 0 0
1.42 Close Project or Phase 9 0 0
1.43 Close Procurements 9 0 0

Score Summary for Process Maturity and Organizational Enablers

Organizational
Stage Process Maturity Score
Enablers Score
Standardize 25%
Measure NA 38%
Control NA
Improve NA

105
 APPENDIX A Cont’d

Score Summary for Organizational Enablers

Awarded Score
Best Practice Category Available Points
Points (%)
1.1 Organizational PM Policy & Vision 96 9 9
1.2 Strategic Alignment 21 12 57
1.3 Resource Allocation 18 4 22
1.4 Management Systems 24 7 29
1.5 Sponsorship 21 8 38
1.6 Organizational Structures 27 13 48
1.7 Competency Management 162 59 36
1.8 Individual Performance Appraisals 12 2 17
1.9 Project Management Training 30 22 73
1.1 Project Management Communities 21 8 38
1.11 Project Management Practices 48 22 46
1.12 Methodology 30 14 47
1.13 Project Management Techniques 45 23 51

106
 APPENDIX B.

MOCAH PLANNED ROADS PROJECTS (2015-2030)

Planned Budget
No of Length Completion Governorate
Project Intervention $US
Lanes Km Year Name
ID Million

R-89 Single 7.17 New Roads 2015 11.5 Erbil

R-55 Single 2.29 New Roads 2015 3.7 Erbil
R-80 Single 2.99 New Roads 2015 4.8 Sulaimani
R-56 Single 7.14 New Roads 2015 11.4 Sulaimani
R-83 Single 1.7 New Roads 2015 2.7 Sulaimani
R-67 Single 1.53 New Roads 2015 2.4 Sulaimani
R-70 Single 15.36 New Roads 2015 24.6 Sulaimani
R-65 Single 5.66 New Roads 2015 9 Sulaimani
R-69 Single 2.46 New Roads 2015 3.9 Sulaimani
R-42 Single 4.02 New Roads 2015 6.4 Sulaimani
R-36 Single 19.14 New Roads 2015 30.6 Sulaimani
R-94 Single 1.97 New Roads 2015 3.2 Sulaimani
R-84 Single 38.24 New Roads 2015 61.2 Sulaimani
R-61 Single 2.23 New Roads 2015 3.6 Sulaimani
R-85 Single 36.89 New Roads 2015 59 Sulaimani
R-60 Single 7.6 New Roads 2015 21.2 Sulaimani
R-91 Single 5.44 New Roads 2015 8.7 Erbil
R-78 Single 7.53 New Roads 2015 12.1 Erbil
R-77 Single 18.47 New Roads 2015 29.6 Sulaimani
R-93 Single 10.73 New Roads 2015 17.2 Sulaimani
R-72 Single 15.73 New Roads 2015 25.2 Sulaimani
R-76 Single 14.28 New Roads 2015 22.8 Sulaimani
R-82 Single 15.63 New Roads 2015 74 Sulaimani
R-32 Single 39.43 New Roads 2015 63.1 Sulaimani
Dual (2
R-08 59.87 New Roads 2015 267 Sulaimani
Lanes)
R-51 Single 9.79 New Roads 2015 15.7 Sulaimani
R-79 Single 4.9 New Roads 2015 13 Sulaimani
R-66 Single 5.8 New Roads 2015 9.3 Sulaimani
R-13 Single 5.83 New Roads 2015 9.3 Sulaimani
R-87 Single 9.53 New Roads 2015 5.5 Dohuk

107
 APPENDIX B. Cont’d
Planned
No of Length Completion Budget $US Governorate
Project Intervention
Lanes Km Year Million Name
ID
Dual (3
R-57 36.75 New Roads 2015 147 Erbil
Lanes)
Dual (2
R-43 15.4 New Roads 2020 46.2 Sulaimani
Lanes)
Dohuk
R-68 Single 13.34 New Roads 2015 21.3
R-26 Single 4.18 New Roads 2020 10 Erbil
Dohuk
R-64 Single 5.62 New Roads 2015 4
Dohuk
R-74 Single 6.34 New Roads 2015 10.1
Dohuk
R-90 Single 4.15 New Roads 2015 6.6
Dohuk
R-86 Single 4.53 New Roads 2015 7.3
Dohuk
R-81 Single 0.76 New Roads 2015 1.2
Dohuk
R-71 Single 4.78 New Roads 2015 7.6
Dohuk
R-05 Single 8.02 New Roads 2015 12.8
R-92 Single 15.46 New Roads 2015 25 Sulaimani
Dual (3
R-18 176.25 New Roads 2015 654 Dohuk
Lanes)
Dual (2
R-22 34.64 New Roads 2025 103.9 Erbil
Lanes)
R-73 Single 12.5 New Roads 2015 20 Dohuk
Dual (2
R-35 27.82 New Roads 2030 83.5 Erbil
Lanes)
R-23 Single 37.78 New Roads 2025 104 Sulaimani
R-24 Single 22.48 New Roads 2025 89 Sulaimani
Dual (2
R-34 43.62 New Roads 2030 149 Sulaimani
Lanes)
R-03 Single 37.99 New Roads 2025 74 Sulaimani
R-29 Single 27.92 New Roads 2030 163 Sulaimani
Dual (2
R-21 22.19 New Roads 2025 53 Erbil
Lanes)
Dual (2
R-45 39.48 New Roads 2025 118.4 Erbil
Lanes)
Dual (2
R-52 47.13 New Roads 2015 131 Erbil
Lanes)

108
 APPENDIX B. Cont’d
Planned Budget
No of Length Completion Governorate
Project Intervention $US
Lanes Km Year Name
ID Million

R-11 Single 37.61 New Roads 2015 116 Sulaimani

Dual (2
R-19 90.73 New Roads 2030 272.2 Erbil
Lanes)

R-28 Single 8.72 New Roads 2030 14 Erbil

R-33 Single 2.39 New Roads 2030 3.8 Dohuk

Dual (2
R-46 3.45 New Roads 2020 10.4 Dohuk
Lanes)
Dual (2
R-38 34.93 New Roads 2030 104.8 Erbil
Lanes)
R-88 Single 6.38 New Roads 2015 10.2 Erbil
R-49 Single 12.5 New Roads 2020 20 Dohuk
R-48 Single 8.98 New Roads 2020 14.4 Erbil
R-47 Single 5.97 New Roads 2020 9.6 Erbil
R-41 Single 4.34 New Roads 2020 6.9 Dohuk
R-02 Single 14.83 New Roads 2020 23.7 Sulaimani
R-09 Single 13.37 New Roads 2030 21.4 Sulaimani
R-27 Single 10.86 New Roads 2030 17.4 Erbil
R-50 Single 8.93 New Roads 2020 14.3 Dohuk
R-06 Single 4.97 New Roads 2030 7.9 Erbil
Dual (3
R-58 143.54 New Roads 2015 1062.2 Erbil
Lanes)
Dual (3
R-54 55.64 New Roads 2020 411.7 Sulaimani
Lanes)
Dual (3 Dohuk
R-16 44.6 New Roads 2025 330
Lanes)
Dual (3 Dohuk
R-20 9.5 New Roads 2025 70.3
Lanes)
Dual (3
R-63 69.19 New Roads 2020 512 Erbil
Lanes)
Dual (2
R-17 9.78 New Roads 2015 25 Dohuk
Lanes)
Dual (2
R-01 7.74 New Roads 2020 23.2 Erbil
Lanes)

109
 APPENDIX B. Cont’d
Planned Budget
No of Length Completion Governorate
Project Intervention $US
Lanes Km Year Name
ID Million
Dual (2
R-62 45.9 New Roads 2015 120 Erbil
Lanes)
Dual (2
R-99 12.49 New Roads 2015 37.5 Erbil
Lanes)
R-95 Single 8.64 New Roads 2015 13.8 Erbil
R-98 Single 13.57 New Roads 2015 21.7 Sulaimani
R-105 Single 13.95 New Roads 2020 22.3 Dohuk
R-96 Single 26.46 New Roads 2020 42.3 Erbil
Dual (2
R-100 69.63 New Roads 2020 208.9 Erbil
Lanes)
Dohuk
R-97 Single 1.06 New Roads 2020 1.7
Dohuk
R-25 Single 77.48 New Roads 2015 124
Dohuk
R-40 Single 2.77 New Roads 2020 4.4
Dohuk
R-10 Single 14.85 New Roads 2020 23.8
Dohuk
R-15 Single 10 New Roads 2020 16
Dohuk
R-104 Single 8.76 New Roads 2020 14
Dohuk
R-44 Single 4.66 New Roads 2020 7.5

Dual (2
R-53 3.65 New Roads 2015 10.9 Erbil
Lanes)
R-12 Single 37.81 New Roads 2015 25.8 Sulaimani
R-59 Single 7.66 New Roads 2015 12.3 Sulaimani
R-75 Single 14.78 New Roads 2015 23.6 Sulaimani

R-102 Single 11.96 New Roads 2020 19.1 Erbil

Dohuk
R-39 Single 5.14 New Roads 2015 0.5
Dohuk
R-37 Single 5.67 New Roads 2015 5
Total 2406.7 8927.6

110
 APPENDIX C.

MOCAH PLANNED BRIDGES (2015-2030)

Crossing
Proposed Proposed Completion
Dam River Governorate Name
Bridge ID Bridge Name Year
Width
Proposed Bridge
B-16 B-14 - Bekhma Bekhma 27 2020 Erbil
Dam
Proposed Bridge
B-12 B-18 - Bekhma Bekhma 21 2020 Erbil
Dam
Proposed Bridge
B-13 B-17 - Bekhma Bekhma 20 2020 Erbil
Dam
Proposed Bridge
B-11 B-19 - Bekhma Bekhma 46 2020 Erbil
Dam
Proposed Bridge
B-17 B-13 - Bekhma Bekhma 44 2020 Dohuk
Dam
Proposed Bridge
B-10 B-20 - Bekhma Bekhma 0 2020 Erbil
Dam
Proposed Bridge
B-09 B-3 - Gomaspan Gomaspan 24 2015 Erbil
Dam
Proposed Bridge
B-05 B-9 - Taqtaq TaqTaq 42 2015 Sulaimani
Dam
Proposed Bridge
B-08 B-4 - Taqtaq TaqTaq 48 2015 Sulaimani
Dam
Proposed Bridge
B-06 B-6 - Khewata Khewata 65 2015 Sulaimani
Dam
Proposed Bridge
B-07 B-5 - Khewata Khewata 47 2015 Sulaimani
Dam
B-15
Proposed Bridge
B-15 - Mandawa Mandawa 26 2020 Erbil
Dam

111
 APPENDIX C. Cont’d

Crossing
Proposed Proposed Completion
Dam River Governorate Name
Bridge ID Bridge Name Year
Width
Universal
Bridge instead Crossing
B-02 0 2015 Erbil
of Hafiz and Stream
Barslin Bridges
Kolasotawo -
Crossing
B-04 Korashala 715 2015 Sulaimani
Stream
Bridge
Parwiz Khan
B-03 Cross Border 0 2015 Sulaimani
Bridge
Crossing
B-21 Grega Bridge 0 2020 Dohuk
Stream
Crossing
B-01 Omarbil Bridge 0 2015 Sulaimani
Stream
Crossing
B-19 Zimkan Bridge 0 2015 Sulaimani
Stream

112